Crookston, Minn. – When the University of Minnesota Crookston softball team takes the field at the UMC Softball field against the University of Sioux Falls, it will mark the first time in 705 days since fans in Crookston have been able to see
Travis Owen's squad take the field in Crookston. The last time the Golden Eagles were at home was April 28, 2019, which resulted in a 4-3 loss to Wayne State College.
How to Follow
Sioux Falls at Minnesota Crookston (DH)
Friday, April 2
12 / 2 P.M.
UMC Softball Field / Crookston, Minn.
Live Video - https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Southwest Minnesota State at Minnesota Crookston (DH)
Sat., April 3
12 / 2 P.M.
UMC Softball Field / Crookston, Minn.
Live Video - https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Fan Policy
UMN Crookston will allow up to 250 fans at UMC Softball Field on Friday and Saturday. Masking and social distancing is required. Fans should be signed up on a pass list with the UMN Crookston players allowed up to four fans and the Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State players allowed up to two fans each.
Minnesota Crookston
This weekend, the Golden Eagles continue NSIC play and will open up the home schedule with doubleheaders against the University of Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State on Friday and Saturday. The Golden Eagles are coming off of a split against Bemidji State on Monday afternoon. The maroon and gold sit at 5-11 overall and 1-1 in NSIC play.
The Golden Eagle lineup is young, but might be coming into their own just in time for NSIC play.
Dana Zarn (So., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba) continues to rake in her sophomore season, leading the way with a .354 average, including three multi-hit games on the season. Freshman
Hailey Hatfield (Fr., UT, Olathe, Kan.) is currently on a six game hitting streak, including a career-high two hit game in a win over MSU Moorhead two weeks ago. Fellow freshmen
Rachel Jones (Fr., UT, Fort Collins, Colo.) and
Shaelyn Grant (Fr., C/OF, Grand Junction, Colo.) each have a long ball on the season.
Alyssa Stillman (So., SS/2B, Hortonville, Wis.) leads the Golden Eagles with two home runs. As a team, the Golden Eagles are hitting .240 on the season.
In the circle, the 1-2 punch of
Katie Humhej (Sr., P, Surrey, British Columbia) and
Sofia Gombos (Fr., P, Salinas, Calif.) have proven to give opponents fits. Humhej has lowered her ERA to 2.96 after giving up six earned runs in her last 15 innings of work. Humhej also picked up a win and a save in game two of the doubleheader on Monday. Humhej has 53 strikeouts in 45 innings of work as well. Gombos struck out seven against the Beavers on Monday, just one behind her career-high of eight, which also came earlier this season against the same Bemidji State team.
Sioux Falls
The Cougars come into Crookston this weekend at 7-9 (1-1 NSIC), after a split with Southwest Minnesota State on Monday afternoon.
The last meeting between these two teams was a doubleheader in 2019, where the Golden Eagles and Cougars split.
Offensively, the Cougars have one of the best hitters in the conference in Damaris Cuevas. Cuevas leads the conference with a .581 average, with 25 hits in 43 at-bats, while also scoring four runs. Cuevas has driven in eight runs on the season. The freshman has a hit in every game but one this season and has eight multi-hit games on the season. Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag and Kylie Madrid have accounted for the only Cougar home runs this season.
Golden Eagle fans will see a familiar face this weekend wearing a Cougar jersey.
Mika Rodriguez, who played three seasons for the Golden Eagles from 2017-2020, is on the Cougar roster as a Grad Transfer.
In the circle, Van Der Zwaag leads the way for the Cougars. She leads the team in ERA (2.96) and complete games (5). The sophomore struck out seven hitters in her last start against SMSU. Freshman Hanna Cress is also having a nice year in the circle for USF. Cress has a 3.72 ERA in 52.2 innings of work, while striking out 37. Cress is 4-5 on the season.
Southwest Minnesota State
The 10-6 Mustangs come into Crookston winners of three out of their last four games, including a split against USF in the conference openers for both teams.
The SMSU offense might be one of the best in the conference. As a team, the Mustangs are fourth in the conference in team batting average, hitting .324. The Mustangs are also fourth in the conference with 88 runs scored. Emma Grate and Lileya Kebos each hit over .430 and are top-ten in the conference in batting average. Kali Thomas has hit five home runs this season, which currently ranks third in the NSIC. The Mustangs can hit the ball and will be a tough test for the Golden Eagles pitching staff this weekend.
Megan Cull leads the Mustangs with a 6-1 record in the circle, but has started just four games and carries a 1.58 ERA on the season. Allison Christians and Shelby Bloemendaal have combined to make 11 starts this season and have combined for 40 strikeouts this season.
