Minot, N.D. – It was an early start for the Minnesota Crookston softball team, who played Northern State at 7 A.M., this morning. The Golden Eagles then would finish off the trip to Minot with a battle with Bemidji State. It would be the second time those two programs have played this season.
In game one against Northern State, the Wolves needed just one run to knock off the Golden Eagles, 1-0. In the nightcap, Minnesota Crookston would score three runs in a row to knock off the Beavers, 3-2.
Minnesota Crookston improves to 2-6 on the season.
Game One
It would be a pitching duel in the opening game of the day for both teams.
Katie Humehj (Sr., P, Surrey, British Columbia) would be unreal on the day. The senior went 6.0 innings, while giving up four hits and striking out four Wolves.
Much like Humehj, Wolves starter Meghan Anderson was unreal in the circle. Anderson pitched a complete game, striking out 12 Golden Eagles, while giving up just two hits.
The lone run put up on the board was a homerun to the right field corner off the bat of Makenzie Merrit, giving the Wolves a 1-0 run in the bottom of the fifth.
Rachel Jones (Fr., UT, Fort Collins, Colo.) was the only Golden Eagles to get into the hit column, going 2-3 against NSU.
Game Two
In game two, the Golden Eagles would use an unbelievable outing in the circle from
Sofia Gombos (Fr., P, Salinas, Calif.), to defeat the Beavers, 3-2.
The Beavers would strike first in the bottom of the first on a double from Lisa Kossan. Kossan would then score a run in the bottom of the third to put the Beavers up 2-0.
That would be the last time the Beavers would cross home plate in the game.
In the top of the fourth, a
Jordan Peterson (R-Jr., UT, Lakeville, Minn.) one-out single would help the Golden Eagles score their first run of the day. Peterson would come across to score later in the inning on a Beaver error.
In the top of the fifth, Minnesota Crookston would tie it on the first career homerun from Jones. It would be the fourth hit of the day for the freshman.
After a Peterson double in the top of the sixth, a
Shaelyn Grant (Fr., C/OF, Grand Junction, Colo.) fly-out to right would allow Peterson to score all the way from second on an error from the right fielder.
Leading 3-2, Minnesota Crookston would escape a jam to head into the final inning with a one-run lead.
Gombos continued her dominance in the bottom of the seventh, setting the Beavers down in order to pick up her first career win.
Peterson and Jones each collected two hits on the day for the Golden Eagles.
Dana Zarn (So., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba) and
Alyssa Stillman (So., SS/2B, Hortonville, Wis.) each collected one hit apiece on the day.
Gombos was dealing all day for the Golden Eagles. The freshman threw a complete game, striking out a career-high eight hitters, while giving up just five hits.
Coaches Comments
"We've been focusing on competing and making adjustments in the box and seen good improvements there," said the third-year head coach
Travis Owen. "We can still make adjustments in that category, but pitching and defense did a good job keeping us in the games this weekend."
What's Next
Minnesota Crookston will travel to Kansas City next weekend for four games. The Golden Eagles will take on Central Missouri and Rockhurst University on Saturday and McKendree University and Emporia State on Sunday. First pitch with the Mules is set for 10 A.M., on Saturday.
