LEESBURG, Fla. – St. Cloud State University scored three runs in the seventh inning to come from behind to win 10-9 in a hard-fought game for the University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team. Minnesota Crookston had an 8-7 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Golden Eagles finished with 15 hits including home runs from Brock Reller (Jr., OF, Grand Forks, N.D.), Ben Thoma (Jr., C, Clearbrook, Minn.), and Eli Jung (Jr., OF, Dickinson, N.D.), moving the team's tally to 18 on the season, which is just 15 away from the team's total in 2019.
Minnesota Crookston moves to 8-5 on the season, and finishes the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational with a 7-3 mark. The Golden Eagles continue to have one of the best starts in program history. St. Cloud State moves to 8-3 with Friday evening's win. The game was played at historic Pat Thomas Stadium-Buddy Lowe Field, which opened in 1937 and has been a long-time Minor League Baseball park, and the former MLB Spring Training home of the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Golden Eagles were led by Reller, who went 3-of-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored, including his fifth home run of the season. Jake Hjelle (Fr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) went 2-of-5 with an RBI. Thoma was 2-of-2 with two RBIs and a run scored, including his second home run of the season. Brad Morris (Jr., OF, Auckland, New Zealand) went 2-of-6 for the game. Jung was 1-of-4 with his second home run of the 2020 slate.
Conner Richardson (So., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) got the start, looking to build on his 3-0 start and lower his 0.50 ERA. Richardson went three innings and allowed five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. He has continued to have a strong overall start with just a 2.57 ERA on the season.
T.J. Wagner (Jr., RHP, Cottage Grove, Minn.) and Clarke Peterson (R-Sr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) made their season debuts on the mound. Wagner allowed just one earned run on three hits with two strikeouts in two innings of of work. Peterson made his debut as a pitcher, after playing catcher early on is career. Peterson allowed no runs on one hit with one strikeout in one inning of work.
Garrett Hohn (Sr., RHP, Wausau, Wis.) allowed no runs in one inning of work, as did Tyler Hegg (So., RHP, Thompson, N.D.). Both have been strong out of the bullpen this season for the Golden Eagles.
Esten Beneda (R-Sr., RHP, Lankin, N.D.) suffered the loss after allowing one earned run on one hit with two walks.
Riley Ahern got the start for the Huskies and allowed eight runs on 12 hit in 4.2 innings on the bump. Avery Stevens got the win after allowing just one run on three hits with eight strikeouts in 4.1 innings of relief.
St. Cloud State was led at the plate by Reid Conlee, who went 3-of-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Kyle Rodriguez finished 2-of-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Jake Shusterich finished 1-of-5 with two RBIs and a run scored on a home run for the Huskies.
St. Cloud State struck first in the first frame as Matt Quade singled to plate Josh Hill to give the Huskies and early 1-0 lead. Shusterich then belted a two-run home run to plate himself and Quade to widen the gap to 3-0.
Minnesota Crookston had a response in the top of the second as Hjelle singled to left field to score Scott Finberg (Sr., 3B, Stillwater, Minn.) to trim the deficit to 3-1.
The Huskies extended their lead to 4-1 in their half of the second when Tyler Hajjar put down a sacrifice bunt and drove in Aaron Hammann. Later in the inning, Hill singled to bring in Rodriguez to push the early advantage to 5-1.
Minnesota Crookston answered in the top of the third. Reller opened things up with a two RBI triple, driving in Ben Bryant (R-So., 2B/SS, Fargo, N.D.) and Mason Ruhlman (Sr., 2B, Algonac, Mich.) to clip the deficit down to 5-3. Later in the stanza, Finberg singled to plate Reller to trim the gap to 5-4. Thoma then launched a two-run home run to score himself and Finberg to give Minnesota Crookston a 6-5 lead. The Golden Eagles got another home run as Jung drove one out to put Minnesota Crookston ahead 7-5.
Minnesota Crookston added a run in the fifth as Bryce Jorgenson (Sr., OF, Thunder Bay, Ontario) scored on a passed ball.
St. Cloud State came back in the fifth as Conlee put out a solo shot to cut the deficit to 8-6. Later in the inning, Rodriguez singled to plate Hammann to bring the Huskies within a run at 8-7.
The score would remain 8-7, until the bottom of the seventh. The game-tying run came in as Alex Holets scored on an error by Beneda. The Huskies moved into a 9-8 lead when Luke Bailey scored after a Rodriguez fielder's choice. Lenny Walker then singled to drive in Drew Bulson to put St. Cloud State ahead 10-8.
The Golden Eagles looked primed for a comeback as Reller led off the top of the eighth with a solo shot to bring Minnesota Crookston within one run at 10-9. With one out, Thoma was hit by a pitch followed by a Jung walk to give Minnesota Crookston two on with one out. However, Stevens got two crucial outs to keep the lead intact.
Ruhlman would walk with one out in the top of the ninth, but Stevens retired the next two as the Huskies would hang on for a narrow 10-9 win.
Minnesota Crookston will open up play in the NSIC with a three-game series Sat., March 14 at 12 and 2 p.m., and Sun., March 15 at 12 p.m., in Winona, Minn.
