MINOT, N.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team punched their ticket to Sioux Falls, S.D., with a 7-6 win over Minot State University Friday, May 14 at Corbett Field in Minot, N.D. The Beavers rallied as they were within one run with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Tyler Hegg (R-So., RHP, Thompson, N.D.) came on and earned his first save of the season, striking out Kaiden Cardoso.

Minnesota Crookston, the fifth seed, advances in the NSIC Tournament. The Golden Eagles will move on to play top seed Minnesota State University at 12 p.m. Wednesday, May 19 at Karras Park Home of Ronken Field in Sioux Falls, S.D. Minnesota Crookston moved to 25-10 with Friday's win. Minot State's season ends with a 24-17 mark. The Golden Eagles will join Minnesota State, Augustana University, and St. Cloud State University in a double-elimination four-team tournament May 19-21 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Conner Richardson (R-So., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) got his first of the season, tossing seven innings and allowing three unearned runs on five hits. Richardson struck out three. Brody Sorenson (Fr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) pitched 1.1 innings and allowed three runs on three hits. Hegg got the save, going 0.2 innings, with no runs, no hits, and two strikeouts.

The loss for Minot State went to Blake Gallagher, who made just his third appearance of the season. Gallagher allowed three earned runs, on four hits with three innings on the bump. Jordan Chappell pitched 4.1 innings, and kept the Beavers in it, allowing no runs on two hits.

Brock Reller (Sr., OF, Grand Forks, N.D.) went 2-of-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, including a home run to shatter Reed Hjelle's school-record for home runs in a career, Reller's 29^th as a Golden Eagle. Ben Bryant (R-Jr., 2B/SS, Fargo, N.D.) went 3-of-5 with one run scored. Jake Hjelle (R-Fr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) finished 2-of-5 with three RBIs.

The Golden Eagles had two baserunners early on in the top of the first as Mason Ruhlman (R-Sr., 2B, Algonac, Mich.) and Reller were both hit by Gallagher pitches. Ruhlman was able to move to third base on an error, while Reller stole second to give UMN Crookston two runners in scoring position with one out. Gallagher struck out Will Zimmerman (R-Sr., OF, Park River, N.D.), but Finberg was walked to load up the bases with Golden Eagles. Hjelle delivered with a two-out bloop single to plate Ruhlman and Reller to give Minnesota Crookston an early 2-0 advantage. With two outs, UMN Crookston moved two more runners into scoring position with Finberg on third, and Hjelle stealing second. However, Gallagher got Parker Stroh to fly out to left but not without the Golden Eagles taking the early 2-0 advantage.

Richardson allowed a Matt Malone single to lead off the bottom of the first, but he retired the final three batters of the frame, including two strikeouts.

The Golden Eagles looked to add to their lead in the bottom of the second as Swenson walked and Bryant singled to give UMN Crookston two on with one out. A Ruhlman sacrifice fly to center field plated Swenson to extend the Golden Eagle lead to 3-0. Gallagher worked out of any further damage with a strikeout of Reller.

Richardson worked a quick bottom of the second, as he ousted Minot State's batters in order.

The Golden Eagles looked to add more runs to their lead in the top of the third. Zimmerman led off the stanza with a single, and advanced to second on a balk. Hjelle delivered again in a big stop, as he singled to left field to plate Zimmerman and extend the advantage to 4-0. Gallagher was again able to work out of further trouble, but not before Minnesota Crookston added to their lead.

Richardson mowed down the first two batters in the third, but Malone broke through with just the second hit of the game for Minot State. Richardson got Drew Behling to fly out to left field in foul territory, to keep the score at 4-0.

Bryant led off the top of the fourth for the Golden Eagles with a single. Reller put one right over the left field fence for his 15^th home run of the season, and record-shattering 29^th of his career to score Bryant and push the advantage to 6-0.

The Beavers got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Nolan Monthei scored on a Jake Collins groundout.

UMN Crookston got the run back in the top of the fifth with a Swenson single. Eli Jung (Sr., OF, Dickinson, N.D.) came around to score on an error to make it 7-1. Jordan Chappell secured the final two outs of the inning for the Beavers to keep the tally at 7-1.

The Beavers made a dent in the bottom of the fifth when Tyler Wiltshire tripled to plate Jordan Williams. In the next at-bat, Wiltshire scored on a passed ball to trim the deficit to 7-3. Richardson was able to get out of the frame.

The Golden Eagles had Ben Thoma (R-Jr., C, Clearbrook, Minn.) reach on a walk in the top of the seventh, but Chappell was able to work out of the situation to keep the score within reach at 7-3.

Minot State tried to get things going in the bottom of the seventh when Williams singled to lead off the stanza. Richardson obtained a consecutive outs to get out of the inning unscathed.
Chappell retired Minnesota Crookston's batter in order in the top of the eighth to keep the game at 7-3.

With Sorenson on in relief, Minot State opened up the bottom of the eighth with a single to right field from Behling. Monthei then hit a ball that kept on drifting in left field, going over the fence for a two-run home run to trim the UMN Crookston lead to 7-5. Minot State kept their rally going as Kaiden Cardoso reached on an error. Gunnar Kozlowitz looked to get an extra base hit, but Zimmerman made a diving grab in center field to get the out. Minutes later, Parker Stroh ( threw out Cardoso to get Sorenson out of any further danger.

Minot State loaded up the bases in the bottom of the ninth due to walks offered to Monthei and Malone, and Riley Humrighouse who reached on an error. Hegg came on and was able to get the save as he struck out the Beavers clean-up hitter Cardoso with bases loaded.

Minnesota Crookston will continue their historic season. They already have had the best season in program history in regards to win-percentage. The Golden Eagles are just three wins from tying the 2019 team for overall victories. Minnesota Crookston achieved their first-ever national ranking in 2021. The Golden Eagles have been as high as No. 19 in the country. UMN Crookston is also close to a regional ranking. They were ranked in the first Central Region poll, but fell out of last week's poll.

The Golden Eagles will play the Mavericks in their first game in Sioux Falls at 12 p.m. Wednesday, May 19.