CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team bounced back Wednesday, April 28 with a sweep of Northern State University. The Golden Eagles picked up the 9-6 victory in game one after Conner Fonger (R-Fr., OF, Superior, Wis.) made an outstanding catch in left field and doubled the runner off at second base, to end a rally for the Wolves. In game two, UMN Crookston was guided by a sixth inning grand slam by Mason Ruhlman (R-Sr., 2B, Algonac, Mich.) to earn the 14-3 run-rule victory.

The two wins snap a four-game losing streak for the Golden Eagles. UMN Crookston continued their best season as a NCAA Division II team, moving to 19-6 (14-6 NSIC). Minnesota Crookston is in third place in the NSIC standings. Northern State falls to 15-16 (14-13 NSIC) with a pair of losses. The Wolves are currently looking to hang on to the No. 8 spot. The NSIC Tournament takes the top eight teams. The Golden Eagles snapped a three-game losing streak to the Wolves with Wednesday's wins. UMN Crookston recently fell out of the NCBWA rankings for the first time since March 31. They had reached a highest rank of 18^th.

Game One
Jake Dykhoff (Jr., RHP, Wadena, Minn.) moved to 5-0 with another effective start on the mound. He went 6.1 innings, and gave up four earned runs on seven hits. Dykhoff struck out 11 and had just one walk for the afternoon. Jayden Grover (R-Sr., RHP, Cooperstown, N.D.) came on in relief and gave up an earned run on one hit and two walks. Brody Sorenson (Fr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) shut the door in 0.2 innings of work, to pick up his fifth save.

The two teams struggled in the field as both teams had four errors apiece, for a combined eight errors.

Minnesota Crookston had 10 hits for the game. The Golden Eagles were guided by Scott Finberg (R-Sr., 3B, Stillwater, Minn.), who went 2-of-3 with three RBIs and a run scored. Landyn Swenson (R-Sr., OF, Devils Lake, N.D.) finished 2-of-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Ben Bryant (Sr., SS, Fargo, N.D.) finished the game 2-of-3 with one RBI and two runs scored.

Northern State was led by Ramon Vega, Jr., who was 2-of-4 with three RBIs. Justin Hutter went 2-of-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Brian Baker suffered the loss for Northern State, after allowing four earned runs on five hits. Baker struck out four, with four walks. Andrew Pugliano allowed three runs on five hits.
Vega got the Wolves on the scoreboard first as he singled, and advanced to second on a throwing error. Vega drove in Hutter to make it 1-0.

The Golden Eagles knotted up the game with a solo shot for Finberg to make it 1-1 in the bottom of the second. Minnesota Crookston pushed the lead to 2-1 when Swenson reached on an error, allowing Hjelle to score.

Minnesota Crookston widened the gap to 4-1 when Finberg hit an infield single, to drive in Fonger. Bryant came in to score on an error by the pitcher.

The Golden Eagles pushed their lead to 5-2 when Brock Reller (R-Sr., OF, Grand Forks, N.D.) earned a walk to plate Swenson. With the bases still loaded, Finberg walked to drive in Bryant. The Wolves got out of further trouble as UMN Crookston stranded three base runners.

Minnesota Crookston extended their lead to 7-2 with an Eli Jung (Sr., OF, Dickinson, N.D.) double to left center to drive in Swenson. UMN Crookston widened the gap to 8-2 when Bryant singled in Jung.

The Golden Eagles pushed the lead to 9-2 with a solo shot from Parker Stroh (R-Fr., C, Grand Forks, N.D.).

Northern State posted a rally in the top of the seventh. With two on, Hutter singled to right field to plate Ben Carolin and Jack Paulson to trim the deficit to 9-4.

With Grover on the mound, Vega singled in Alex Gauer and Hutter to cut the UMN Crookston lead to 9-6. After Grover issued a walk to Spencer Sarringar, Sorenson came on. Reece Ragatz powered one into the left center gap but Fonger made a diving play and doubled up Vega at second to make a non-traditional double play and preserve the 9-6 win for the Golden Eagles.

Game Two
The Golden Eagles won 14-3 over the Wolves in game two on 13 hits. UMN Crookston's top three hitters in the order went a combined 9-of-13 for the game with eight runs scored and eight RBIs. Ruhlman was 3-of-4 with four RBIs, including his grand slam. Reller was 3-of-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored, while Bryant continued a big day going 3-of-4 with three runs scored.

Alex Koep (Fr., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) got the start and went 4.2 innings, allowing just three runs on five hits. Koep struck out six and walked just three. Jake Osowski (R-Fr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) came on in relief and got his fourth win of the season. Osowski pitched 2.1 innings, with no runs on one hit. He struck out four.

UMN Crookston got to Northern State's ace Seth Brewer, who made the start after pitching six innings on Saturday. Brewer falls to 6-1 with the loss after giving up three runs on four hits. He struck out three.

Ragatz led the Wolves, going 3-of-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Minnesota Crookston jumped out early as Reller smashed a ball to left center for a three-run jack to plate himself, Ruhlman and Bryant to make it 3-0.

The Wolves cut the lead to 3-1 when Isaiah Chevalier grounded out and got the RBI, plating Sarringar.

The Golden Eagles widened the lead to 4-1 when Stroh hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Ruhlman in the third frame.

In the fourth, Ruhlman reached on an error, allowing Fonger to come in to widen the gap to 5-1. In the next at-bat, Reller singled to center field to score Bryant. Jake Hjelle (R-Fr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) made a big impact with a three-run home run to drive in himself, Finberg and Reller to extend the advantage to 9-1.

Northern State trimmed the deficit to 9-2 when Ragatz tripled to right center to score Kai Brisk. The Wolves cut the lead to 9-3 on a Vega singled to left center to score Ragatz.

Minnesota Crookston extended their lead to 10-3 with a Jung RBI double to score Hjelle. Later in the frame, Ruhlman launched a grand slam to score himself, Bryant, Fonger, and Jung to make it 14-3.

Northern State was unable to make a dent in the lead as UMN Crookston earned the run-rule victory.

The Golden Eagles hit five home runs for the day. UMN Crookston has already shattered the previous school record set in 2016. Minnesota Crookston has 45 home runs. Reller leads the way with 10. Hjelle has eight, while Ruhlman and Finberg each have five for the season. Reller's 24 home runs in a career is four home runs away from tying the record set from 2016-19 by Reed Hjelle.

Minnesota Crookston will wrap up their regular-season home slate Saturday, May 1 at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 2 at 1:30 p.m. The Golden Eagles will face-off with Highway 2 rivals Bemidji State University. UMN Crookston will honor 13 seniors including Reller, Swenson, Finberg, Ruhlman, Bryant, Grover, Jung, Jared Anderson (Sr., LHP, Cannon Falls, Minn.), Gregory Diaz (Sr., RHP, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), Bobby Chu (R-Sr., C, Redwood City, Calif.), Will Zimmerman (R-Sr., OF, Park River, N.D.), Garrett Hohn (R-Sr., RHP, Wausau, Wis.), and T.J. Hokanson (Sr., 3B, Chanhassen, Minn.).