TOPEKA, Kan. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team fell in their first two games at the Washburn Invitational Presented by Capitol Plaza Hotel and Convention Center. The Golden Eagles fell 5-2 to the University of Central Missouri and then were defeated 10-2 by Rockhurst University. UMN Crookston had their opportunities but they struggled in the field. Minnesota Crookston had three errors in the game Saturday morning, and notched four errors versus Central Missouri in the afternoon tilt.

Minnesota Crookston falls to 2-8 with the pair of losses. Central Missouri boasts a 4-0 mark on the season, while Rockhurst is 3-1.

"We need to keep getting experience on the field and learning – both from our own and others' mistakes," said Head Coach Travis Owen. "We are still having some basic things happen that we need to be better with. That is what these non-conference games are for, but it means we're sacrificing some wins for it. Our ultimate goal is to have these things cleaned up by conference play."

First Game
The Golden Eagles fell in their morning debut in Topeka, Kan., to Central Missouri. UMN Crookston trailed just 2-1 going into the fifth inning, but the Jennies scored two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to lead to the 5-2 victory.

The first runs of the game for the Jennies crossed on a pair of errors after a stolen base in the first inning.

UMN Crookston answered in the fourth frame as a Dana Zarn (So., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba) double drove home Gabriella Blomdahl (So., OF, Duluth, Minn.) to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Central Missouri pushed their advantage to 3-1 when Bailey Fowler singled to plate Brenlyn McCoy. In the next at-bat, Ashlyn Cook singled, driving in Abbey Fischer to push the lead to 4-1.

The Golden Eagles got a run back in the top of the sixth when Zarn hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Leah Macias (Jr., OF, West Covina, Calif.), who doubled to lead off the inning.

Central Missouri pushed the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth when Makenzie Cooper scored on a passed ball.

The Golden Eagles were unable to cut into the lead in the top of the seventh as the Jennies earned the 5-2 victory.

Katie Humhej (Sr., P, Surrey, British Columbia) suffered the loss in the circle despite a solid outing. Humhej allowed three earned runs in 5.1 innings with seven strikeouts and five hits allowed. Kamryn Frisk (Sr., P, Anchorage, Alaska) pitched 0.2 innings of shutout softball.

Sadie Parks earned the win after allowing just two runs on three hits in the complete game with eight strikeouts.

Zarn led the way at the plate, going 1-of-2 with two RBIs. Blomdahl finished the day 1-of-3 with one run scored, while Leah Macias was 1-of-2 with a run scored.

Second Game
Errors plagued UMN Crookston throughout the second game Saturday, as Rockhurst picked up the 10-2 victory.

Minnesota Crookston opened up the scoring when Blomdahl scored on a Jordan Peterson groundout. Later in the first, Rachel Jones (Fr., UT, Fort Collins, Colo.) came across the plate on an Alina Avalos groundout to give UMN Crookston the 2-0 lead.

Rockhurst got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second. Maya Gallagher doubled to plate Lauren Marks to cut the deficit to 2-1, followed by a Shelby Winkelman single later in the inning to drive in Gallagher and knot up the game 2-2.

UMN Crookston ran into trouble in the bottom of the third as they committed two costly errors. The Hawks took the 3-2 lead in the game when Calli Wibbenmeyer hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Allison Shakiba. Lauren Marks pushed the lead to 4-2 as she singled and advanced to second on an error. She drove in Jaden Santoni. A two RBI double from Gallagher brought in Marks and Emily Clark to extend the lead to 6-2. Later in the frame, Winkelman singled to plate Gallagher to push the lead to 7-2. Santoni put a stamp on the inning as she singled in Winkelman to push the advantage to 8-2.

Rockhurst added a run in the fourth as Marks singled in Wibbenmeyer, who led off the inning by reaching on an error.

The Hawks came away with the 10-2 run-rule win in the sixth as Shakiba singled to drive in Gallagher.

Sofia Gombos (Fr., P, Salinas, Calif.) had a strong start, giving up just two runs on four hits in two innings. Frisk suffered the loss for the Golden Eagles as she allowed just one earned run on 12 hits with two strikeouts.

Paige Renner got the start for Rockhurst and she allowed no earned runs on three hits over two innings. Olivia Prather got the win after allowing no runs on four hits with two strikeouts in two innings in the circle.

UMN Crookston was led by Jones, who went 2-of-3 with a run scored. Cassie Querry (Sr., C, Cassville, Pa.) was also 2-of-3. Blomdahl went 1-of-4 with a run scored. Zarn was 1-of-2, while Avalos was 1-of-3 with an RBI.

Rockhurst looked to Marks, who went 3-of-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Gallagher went 3-of-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored, while Winkelman was 3-of-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

The Golden Eagles take on McKendree University at 10 a.m. Sunday, February 28 and Emporia State University at 2 p.m.