CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team will conclude the 2019 regular-season at home at the UMC Baseball Field, as they take on Minot State University Fri., May 3 and Sat., May 4. The Golden Eagles will take on the Beavers at 1 and 3 p.m. Friday, before concluding the regular-season Saturday at 12 p.m.

Minnesota Crookston is looking to end the 2019 regular-season on a strong note as they still have seeding to play for, as they conclude the current campaign. The Golden Eagles can still reach the No. 5 seed with three wins over Minot State and three losses for Wayne State College to Upper Iowa University. With three losses to Minot State, along with three wins for Northern State University, and three wins for Winona State University, the Golden Eagles would slide into the No. 8 seed. With three losses, and three wins by either Northern State or Minot State, but not the other one, the Golden Eagles would be the No. 7 seed. Otherwise, Minnesota Crookston will be the No. 6 seed.

Minnesota Crookston is assured their third appearance in the last four years at the NSIC Tournament, played Wed., May 8 through Sat., May 11 at Faber Field and Putz Field in St. Cloud, Minn. The journey of the last four seasons has been a great one for the Golden Eagles as they had won just one game apiece during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Minnesota Crookston has now accumulated 113 wins over the last five seasons for an average of 22.6 wins per season. The 26 wins in 2019 is the all-time record for Minnesota Crookston baseball in a season, while the 18 conference wins tied the 2016 season for NSIC victories.

Minnesota Crookston vs. Minot State
Fri., March 3 – 1/3 p.m.
Sat., March 4 – 12 p.m.
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
Video - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/crk/#liveEventsTab

Minnesota Crookston Preview
Projected Starters
So. C 29 Ben Thoma
Sr. 1B 33 Reed Hjelle, .341 avg., 40 runs, 3 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 36 RBIs
Jr. 2B 21 Mason Ruhlman, .209 avg., 19 runs, 4 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 17 RBIs
Jr. 3B 18 Scott Finberg, .234 avg., 22 runs, 10 2B, 6 HR, 28 RBIs
R-So. SS 9 Griffin Fussy, .260 avg., 5 runs, 4 2B, 1 3B, 15 RBIs
Jr. LF 6 Bryce Jorgenson, .261 avg., 38 runs, 14 2B, 12 RBIs
Jr. CF 1 Landyn Swenson, .260 avg., 26 runs, 4 2B, 1 HR, 20 RBIs
So. RF 20 Brock Reller. .300 avg., 35 runs, 11 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 46 RBIs
R-So. DH 31 Travis Conoryea, .264 avg., 7 runs, 1 2B, 10 RBIs
or Sr. DH 16 Jonathan Lund, .292 avg., 9 runs, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs

Top Pitchers
R-So. LHP 36 Dalton Grose, 2-2 2.60 ERA, 34.2 IP, 12 saves, 38 K, 21 BB
Sr. LHP 30 Nate Albrecht, 2-3 3.19 ERA, 53.2 IP, 41 K, 15 BB
Fr. RHP 17 Conner Richardson, 1-1 4.21 ERA, 36.1 IP, 18 K, 8 BB
Sr. LHP 24 Zach Rustad, 6-5 4.53 ERA, 59.2 IP, 46 K, 30 BB
Sr. RHP 37 Louis Gerzin, 3-1 5.09 ERA, 17.2 IP, 24 K, 18 BB

Minnesota Crookston has posted a 5-1 mark over the last six games with a weekend sweep over Bemidji State University, and a split with University of Minnesota Duluth. The Golden Eagles will look to head into the NSIC Tournament on a winning note with three games against Minot State. The Golden Eagles dropped a pair to Minot State last season.

The Golden Eagles are looking to build on their best season in program history. Minnesota Crookston is guaranteed to finish the regular-season with an over .500 winning percentage for just the second time in school history. The Golden Eagles have been led in 2019 by last season's NSIC Player of the Year Reed Hjelle (Sr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.). Hjelle is hitting .341 with 40 runs scored, three doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, and 36 RBIs. Hjelle leads the league with 44 walks this season, as opposing pitchers have been pitching around him this season.

In addition, Brock Reller (So., OF, Grand Forks, N.D.) has been a major threat of late for the Golden Eagles. The reining NSIC Player of the Week is 15-of-21 for a .714 batting average over the last six games with eight RBIs and seven runs scored. Reller is hitting .300 on the season with nine home runs and a team-high 46 RBIs. Jonathan Lund (Sr., 1B/3B, Tolna, N.D.) comes in hitting .292 with nine runs scored, one home run and four RBIs. Bryce Jorgenson (Jr., UT, Thunder Bay, Ontario) enters the weekend hitting .261 with 38 runs scored, 14 doubles, and 12 RBIs.

On the mound, the Golden Eagles have been led by the NSIC's saves leader Dalton Grose (R-So., LHP, Waterville, Minn.), with 12 on the season. Grose tied Minnesota Crookston great Zach Seipel with the all-time saves leader in a single-season. Nate Albrecht (Sr., LHP, Wahpeton, N.D.) has been strong as a starter with a 2-3 mark and a 3.19 ERA in 53.2 innings pitched with 41 strikeouts and just 15 walks. Zach Rustad (Sr., LHP, Blaine, Minn.) leads the team with six wins. He has a 4.53 ERA with 59.2 innings pitched with 46 strikeouts and 30 walks.

Friday will be Senior Day as Minnesota Crookston will honor the seniors during the games, and also immediately after with a reception on campus. The Golden Eagles will honor Hjelle, Lund, Rustad, Albrecht, Jordan Deadwyler (Sr., OF, Jacksonville, Fla.), Aaron Hollcraft (Sr., LHP, Crookston, Minn.), Hunter Baldwin (Sr., 3B, St. Thomas, N.D.), and Gerzin.

Minot State
Projected Starting Lineup
Jr., CF 3 Trevaun Smith .281, 39 R, 6 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 17 RBI
Fr., DH 10 Jackson Pokorney .276, 13 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBI
Sr., RF 20 Michael Borst .408, 45 R, 14 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 50 RBI
Sr., 2B 11 Darrel Doll .252, 21 R, 6 2B, 9 HR, 33 RBI
Sr., 1B 21 Celestino Rodriguez .309, 13 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 26 RBI
Sr., LF 8 Wyatt Schlosser .222, 26 R, 5 2B, 4 HR, 24 RBI
Sr., 3B 5 Andrew Black .259, 15 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 19 RBI
Sr., C 7 Geordie McDougal .212, 17 R, 8 RBI
Jr., SS 1 Ryley Humringhouse .338, 39 R, 5 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 26 RBI

 Top Pitchers
So., LHP 27 Zach Newman 2.59 ERA, 4-0, 41.2 IP, 39 K
Sr., RHP 6 Jaymon Cervantes 2.81 ERA, 6-1, 4 CG, 51.1 IP, 61 K
Sr., RHP 33 Andres Hackman 3.60 ERA, 4-2, 1 CG, 45.0 IP, 42 K
So., P 9 RJ Martinez 3.94 ERA, 2-2, 45.2 IP, 41 K

The Beavers come into the final weekend of the regular season fourth in the NSIC, right behind St. Cloud State for third place heading into the NSIC tournament. The 2018 NSIC regular season champions, the Beavers have had another solid season sitting at 32-14 overall (24-8 NSIC). After getting swept by SCSU on April 24, the Beavers have won six in a row.

Offensively, the Beavers are hitting .281 as a team with 299 runs scored, 67 doubles, 15 triples and 31 homeruns, one behind the Golden Eagles. They are led by Michael Borst, who is one of the best hitters in the NSIC. Borst leads the conference in batting average at .411 and is second in both on-base percentage and RBI's. Borst has four homeruns on the season as well. Including Borst, the Beavers have six guys with 20 or more RBI's, including Ryley Humringhouse, Mason Gifford and Celestino Rodriguez. The Beavers have the fifth best offense in the NSIC and they will look to continue that success this weekend against Minnesota Crookston.

For all the success the Beavers have had offensively, they have arguably been better on the mound. The Beavers have a 4.21 ERA and have struck out 347, while walking 143 opponents. Minot State has four starters who they can rely on, including Zach Newman, Jaymon Cervantes, Andres Hackman and RJ Martinez. Newman leads the starters with a 2.59 ERA, and has gone a perfect 4-0 on the season. Newman has struck out 39 hitters and walked just six in 41.2 innings pitched. Cervantes has been another Beaver starter who has been outstanding. The righty from Tuscon, Ariz., has a 2.81 ERA and leads the team in wins with six and strikeouts with 61. The Beavers are bringing in a really good starting staff to Crookston this weekend. The Bullpen has also been outstanding and they have been led by Jack Gamba and Matt Sartwell. The two have ERA's of under three and have a combined 40 strikeouts in 32.1 innings pitched.