Minot, N.D.—Minnesota Crookston Softball was in Minot, N.D., and the Minot Dome, looking to build off their opening season victory over Bemidji State a night ago.
 
It was a traditional doubleheader for the Golden Eagles, who opened the day with Black Hills State and would finish with the Beavers of Minot State.
 
Game One
Minnesota Crookston's offense stayed hot, scoring 10 runs, to defeat Black Hills State, 10-5. The 2-0 start for Minnesota Crookston is the first time in the Division II era that they have started with two straight wins to open up the season.
 
Offensively, Minnesota Crookston was led by Malia Pula (Sr., UT, Gilroy, Calif.), who finished the day 5-5, with one RBI and a run. Kamryn Frisk (Jr., RHP/1B, Anchorage, Ak.) and Mika Rodriguez (Sr., SS/2B, Laveen, Ariz.), each had two hits and 3 RBI's on the day. The five hits for Pula was a career-high.
 
Alina Avilos (Fr., P/1B, Riverside, Calif.) earned her first win of her Golden Eagle career.
 
Game Two
In game two, the Beavers were able to score the first four runs, one in the third and three in the fourth, helped by a Zoya Robbins triple, which scored two Minot State runners.
 
The Golden Eagles wouldn't go away lightly. The bottom of the fifth inning saw the bottom of the order do some damage. Gabriella Blomdahl (Fr., OF, Duluth, Minn.) and Leah Macias (So., OF, West Covina, Calif.), each scored on a Cassie Querry (Jr., C, Cassville, Pa.) homerun, a three run shot, which brought the Golden Eagles to within one run, at 4-3.
 
With the Golden Eagles down by a run in the top of the seventh, Blomdahl would reach base, but was out on a fielder's choice, off the bat of Macias. The Golden Eagles weren't able to bring home the tying run, falling to the Beavers, 4-3.
 
The Golden Eagles were led by Querry and Blomdahl, who each collected two knocks on the day. Querry also hit her first homerun of the season, driving in three runs. The Golden Eagles had six hits and one error defensively in the one run loss to Minot State.
 
Paige Pitlick (Sr., P, Jordan, Minn.) gets the loss, falling to 1-1 on the season. Pitlick gave up four runs on five hits, while striking out six Beaver hitters, in 3.2 innings of work. Avilos had a nice outing, going 3.1 innings, while giving up four hits and striking out one.
 
Minnesota Crookston is back in action next Friday night for the first of four games, Friday and Saturday from the dome in St. Cloud. Minnesota Crookston plays Bemidji State on Friday night at 5 p.m.