Moorhead, Minn. – The bats showed up this afternoon for head coach
Travis Owen and the Golden Eagles softball team, sweeping a doubleheader with Minnesota State University Moorhead, 12-8 and 11-6.
The Golden Eagles used four home runs in the two games to improve to 4-10 on the season. With the loss, the Dragons fall to 2-10 on the season. The doubleheader was a non-conference affair between the Golden Eagles and Dragons.
Game One
The Golden Eagles would never trail in either game and that started early on in game one. Minnesota Crookston would use some errors by the Dragons defensively to take a quick 3-0 lead, with two runs coming in the second inning and one run in the third.
The Dragons would answer in the bottom of the third, scoring two runs in the last half to cut the lead to just one, at 3-2.
The fourth inning would see an unearned run scored by the Golden Eagles, after
Jordan Peterson (Jr., UT, Lakeville, Minn.) hit a ball slowly in the infield that couldn't be fielded cleanly, resulting in
Hannah Macias (Jr., OF, West Covina, Calif.) to cross home plate, to make it 4-2.
The top of the fifth is when the Golden Eagles broke the game open, scoring seven runs. Alina Avilos (So., P/1B, Riverside, Calif.) would hit her first-career home run to make it 5-2.
Leah Macias (Jr., OF, West Covina, Calif.) would then double to drive in
Hailey Hatfield (Fr., UT, Olathe, Kan.). Back-to-back singles from
Gabriella Blomdahl (So., OF, Duluth, Minn.) and Peterson would cap off the seven run inning for the Golden Eagles.
The Golden Eagles would add some insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings, which was needed, because the Dragons would come storming back, but fell short, 12-8.
It was a metaphorical hit party for the maroon and gold. Avilos led the way with a career-high three hit game, driving in two runs. Blomdahl also collected two hits in game one. As a team, the Golden Eagles collected 12 hits, while scoring a season-high 12 runs.
In the circle,
Katie Humhej (Sr., P, Surrey, British Columbia) was solid. The senior went the distance, going seven innings, while giving up eight runs on nine hits, while striking out four. Just three of those runs were earned.
Game Two
Game two would also be all Golden Eagles. Hatfield would get the party started with a double, scoring Peterson and
Rachel Jones (Fr., UT, Fort Collins, Colo.).
Already up 3-0,
Dana Zarn (So., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba), would lace a double over the Dragons center fielder, scoring one.
In the top of the third,
Shaelyn Grant (Fr., C/OF, Grand Junction, Colo.) would crush her first career home run well over the fence in left field to make it a 7-0 Golden Eagle lead.
In the top of the fourth, Peterson would join in the fun by hitting a long ball over the centerfield wall to make it 8-0 Minnesota Crookston.
That would be plenty for the Golden Eagles, who were able to fend off yet another Dragon late inning rally.
The Golden Eagles collected a season-high 13 hits as a team, including a career-high three from Grant, who also drove in three runs. Zarn, Peterson and Hatfield each collected two hits on the day.
In the circle, freshman
Sofia Gombos (Fr., P, Salinas, Calif.) continued her strong start, going 4.2 innings, while giving up just four runs on 10 hits and striking out five. Gombos earned the win, her second on the season.
Kamryn Frisk (Sr., P/1B, Anchorage, AK) finished the game in the circle for Minnesota Crookston, giving up just three hits in 2.1 innings of work.
Minnesota Crookston will be off until Mar. 30, where they will open up NSIC play with their highway-two rivals, Bemidji State. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m., in Bemidji.
