CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team concluded a historic 2019 season with a sweep of Minot State University Sat., May 4 at UMC Baseball Field in Crookston, Minn. The Golden Eagles utilized a Reed Hjelle (Sr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) home run and a Mason Ruhlman (Jr., 2B, Algonac, Mich.) two RBI double for a come-from-behind 7-5 victory in game one. In the second tilt, Minnesota Crookston used a crooked number in the fourth inning as they plated six runs to take down the Beavers 9-4.

The Golden Eagles end the regular-season with a 28-19 (20-12 NSIC) mark. Minnesota Crookston set school records for wins in a season, and conference victories. The Golden Eagles surpassed 20 conference wins for the first time in the program's history. Minnesota Crookston will advance to their third NSIC Tournament in the last four seasons. The Golden Eagles will be the No. 6 seed and will open the double elimination tournament Wed., May 8 at 6:30 p.m., against No. 3 seed St. Cloud State University at Putz Field.

Minot State finishes out the 2019 season with a 32-16 (24-10 NSIC) record. The Beavers are the No. 4 seed in the NSIC Tournament. The Golden Eagles swept the two-game series, as the third game was canceled due to rain on Friday.

Game One
Minnesota Crookston came back from a 5-4 deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning to upend Minot State 7-5 in the first game propelled by Hjelle's 11^th home run on the season, and Ruhlman's two RBI double.

Louis Gerzin (Sr., RHP, Ely, Minn.) celebrated his Senior Day with his fourth victory of the year. Gerzin came on and pitched 1.2 innings of relief, allowing no runs on one hit, with two strikeouts.

Dalton Grose (R-So., LHP, Waterville, Minn.) came on and shut the door on the Beavers in the final stanza, as he picked up his 13^th save of the season. Grose's 13^th save breaks the single-season record set during the 2017 season by current Atlanta Braves minor league pitcher Zach Seipel. Grose allowed no runs on no hits in one inning of action.

Zach Rustad (Sr., LHP, Blaine, Minn.) started the rain postponed game on Friday, but did not return in Saturday's first game. Jayden Grover (Jr., RHP, Cooperstown, N.D.) came out on the mound as the game resumed in the top of the first with one out on Saturday. Grover went four innings, and allowed four runs on five hits with six strikeouts.

The loss for Minot State went to Jack Gamba in relief, as he gave up three runs on three hits in one inning. Andres Hackman started the game and went 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits. R.J. Martinez was strong in relief, pitching 2.1 innings and giving up just one hit with six strikeouts and two walks.

Minnesota Crookston was paced by Hjelle, who had a great Senior Day, as one of the best Golden Eagles in the program's history went out on a great note Saturday. Hjelle was 2-of-2 with three RBIs and a run scored. Ben Thoma (So., C/SS, Clearbrook, Minn.) finished 2-of-2 with two runs scored, while Ruhlman was 1-of-2 with two RBIs.

Minot State looked to Darrel Doll, who went 2-of-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Wyatt Schlosser finished 2-of-2 with one RBI and a run scored.

The Beavers commenced the scoring in the top of the first as Doll doubled down the line to plate Trevaun Smith.

Minot State widened their lead out to 2-0 in the first as Schlosser crossed on a wild pitch.

Minnesota Crookston came through in the bottom of the second. Griffin Fussy (R-So., SS, Ham Lake, Minn.) got the scoring started as he walked with the bases loaded to plate Thoma. Later in the frame, Hjelle came through with a single to center field to score Landyn Swenson (Jr., OF, Devils Lake, N.D.), and Scott Finberg (Jr., 3B, Stillwater, Minn.) and push the lead out to 3-2.

Minot State responded in the top of the fifth. Doll continued his big day with a single up the middle to drive in Smith and knot the game up 3-3. Later in the frame, Celestino Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Michael Borst and push the lead to 4-3. Schlosser then singled to right field to plate Doll and extend the advantage to 5-3.

Minnesota Crookston made up ground in the fifth as Swenson reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Travis Conoryea (R-So., OF/C, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) to cut the deficit to 5-4.

The Golden Eagles tied up the tilt 5-5 with Hjelle's blast to left field. Later in the sixth, Ruhlman doubled to drive in Thoma and Reller to lengthen the lead out to 7-5.

Minot State had a runner in the top of the seventh, but Grose would get three-straight outs to preserve the win in his 13^th save of the year.

Game Two
Minnesota Crookston broke through with a six-run fourth inning guided by a bases clearing hit and error delivered by Thoma. The Golden Eagles would widen the lead with key offensive hits, as their pitching kept the 9-4 win intact.
Henry Pesch (Jr., RHP, Minneota, Minn.) moved to 3-1 with the win in relief, as he went one inning and allowed no runs on no hits. Matt Nelson (Fr., RHP, Afton, Minn.) got the start and went one inning, allowing four runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Rustad, Conner Richardson (Fr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.), and Grose combined for no runs on one hit with five strikeouts over the final five innings on the bump.

The loss for the Beavers went to Zach Newman, who gave up five earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Minnesota Crookston was lifted by the play of Hjelle, who went 3-of-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Ruhlman finished 2-of-4 with two runs scored. Finberg went 2-of-4 with an RBI, while Bryce Jorgenson (Jr., UT, Thunder Bay, Ontario) was 2-of-5 with one RBI and a run scored.

Minot State was paced by Doll, who was 3-of-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

The Beavers opened up the game with a 2-0 lead as Doll powered one over the fence in right center to score himself, and Borst.

Minot State extended their advantage out to 3-0 when Schlosser tripled to follow a triple by Dillon Buckmeier, as Buckmeier came in to score. A Borst ground out, brough in Schlosser to push the lead out to 4-0.

Minnesota Crookston came through with a crucial fourth inning, as they plated six runs. The first run scored with a Hjelle sacrifice fly to center field to score Jorgenson. Later in the stanza, Thoma singled, and advanced on an error on an overthrow in center field. After a long debate on the play by the officials, three runs were ruled to have scored as Hunter Baldwin (Sr., 3B, St. Thomas, N.D.), Reller, and Fussy all came to the dish to knot the game up 4-4.

Minnesota Crookston overtook Minot State for the lead 5-4 when Finberg doubled to left field to drive in Thoma. The big inning was concluded with a Swenson sacrifice bunt to score Ruhlman to put the Golden Eagles ahead 6-4.
Minnesota Crookston pushed their lead out to 7-4 when Reller doubled to center field to bring in Hjelle.

In the eighth, Jorgenson singled to left field to score Ruhlman and widen the gap to 8-4. The scoring was rounded out, as Hjelle singled to right field in his final at-bat in Crookston, as he drove in Swenson to push the lead to 9-4.
The game was the final one at home for Minnesota Crookston seniors Hjelle, Baldwin, Rustad, Gerzin, Jonathan Lund (Sr., 1B/3B, Tolna, N.D.), Aaron Hollcraft (Sr., LHP, Crookston, Minn.), Nate Albrecht (Sr., LHP, Wahpeton, N.D.), and Jordan Deadwyler (Sr., OF, Jacksonville, Fla.). The Minnesota Crookston seniors have won 101 games in their four years.

The Golden Eagles will look to continue their historic season at the NSIC Tournament beginning Wed., May 8 with St. Cloud State University at 6:30 p.m., at Putz Field. The Golden Eagles are seeking their first win in four previous games during the Steve Gust era at the NSIC Tournament.