FAYETTE, Iowa – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team improved their undefeated record to 11-0 with a Sunday sweep of Upper Iowa University March 28 at Robertson Woods Field in Fayette, Iowa.

The Golden Eagles won the first game of the doubleheader 1-0 in a pitcher's duel between Jake Dykhoff (Jr., RHP, Wadena, Minn.) and Duncan Snider. Dykhoff continued his strong season with a three-hit shutout victory. Dykhoff had four strikeouts to just one walk. The Golden Eagles won the game on a RBI single from Parker Stroh (R-Fr., C, Grand Forks, N.D.) in the top of the seventh inning.

UMN Crookston took the second tilt of the doubleheader 6-1. The Golden Eagles were lifted by a home run from Mason Ruhlman (R-Sr., 2B, Algonac, Mich.), and a 4-for-4 day from Brock Reller (Sr., OF, Grand Forks, N.D.).

The Golden Eagles are 11-0 (7-0 NSIC) after Sunday's sweep of the Peacocks. UMN Crookston remains in a tie for first in the NSIC with Minnesota State University. UMN Crookston has continued their best start since the program joined NCAA Division II in 1999.

Game One
Dykhoff was the main story of game one for UMN Crookston. With the win, Dykhoff moves to 2-0 with a 0.43 ERA with 25 strikeouts and just five walks. He tossed a no-hitter until allowing two hits in the bottom of the fifth. Samuel Grushkin broke up the no-hitter with a single to center field.

Snider also had a stand-out showing for the Peacocks. He went six innings and allowed no runs on one hit with four strikeouts and four walks allowed. Brennan Sefrit suffered the loss, allowing one run on one hit, while Chris Webber went an inning and gave up no runs on one hit.

Minnesota Crookston's three hits on the game came from Stroh, Reller, and Landyn Swenson (R-Sr., OF, Devils Lake, N.D.).

The Golden Eagles broke the scoreless tie in the top of the seventh when Stroh singled to right field to plate Reller, who had led off the stanza with a double down the right field line.

Upper Iowa tried to come back in the bottom of the seventh. Alex Greene started out the inning by reaching on an error. He would reach second on a wild pitch. Grushkin was then walked. The two would reach scoring position, second and third, on an A.J. Friedrich groundout. However, Dykhoff would get out of trouble getting a Kyle Routhieaux fly out  preserving the 1-0 victory.

Game Two
Matt Nelson (R-So., RHP, Afton, Minn.) got the ball in game two and had a strong outing. Nelson allowed just one run on five hit in 6.1 innings of work. Nelson struck out four and walked four in the win, moving to 2-0 on the season. Brody Sorenson (Fr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) continued his strong start to his career, tossing 2.2 innings and striking out three in 2.2 innings on the bump. Sorenson picked up his second save in the 6-1 victory. Sorenson has a 1.29 ERA in three appearances this season.

The Golden Eagles scored six runs on 10 hits in the win. Reller led the way going 4-of-4 for the game. Ruhlman went 2-of-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, including his second home run of the 2021 season. Bobby Chu (R-Sr., C, Redwood Valley, Calif.) went 2-of-4 with a run scored, while Swenson was 2-of-4 with two runs scored.

Blake Thiesse got the start for Upper Iowa and went 6.1 innings. He suffered the loss after allowing four runs on nine hits with six strikeouts.

Upper Iowa broke the scoreless tie in the third inning when Greene singled to right field to drive in Jake Hilmer.

The Golden Eagles knotted up the game 1-1 when Swenson came into score on a Will Zimmerman (R-Sr., OF/SS, Park River, N.D.) groundout in the fifth. UMN Crookston took the 2-1 lead when Ruhlman launched a home run over the right field fence.

The Golden Eagles widened the gap to 3-1 when Ruhlman's sacrifice fly scored Swenson. Minnesota Crookston pushed the lead to 4-1 when Scott Finberg (R-Sr., 3B, Stillwater, Minn.) walked with the bases loaded, driving in Zimmerman.

The Golden Eagles extended their advantage to 6-1 when Zimmerman reached on a throwing error, bringing in Chu and Eli Jung (R-Jr., OF, Dickinson, N.D.).

UMN Crookston is hitting .309 on the season with 130 runs scored, 27 doubles, six triples, 26 home runs, and 110 RBIs. The Golden Eagles have earned 84 walks on the season.

The Golden Eagles improved their pitching numbers on the season with strong outings from both Nelson and Dykhoff. UMN Crookston is 11-0 on the year with a 5.61 ERA with 89 strikeouts to just 52 walks.
Minnesota Crookston wraps up the series with Upper Iowa Monday, March 29 at 12 p.m. at Robertson Woods Field in Fayette, Iowa.