CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball will look to continue a historic run as they trek to the final round of the 2021 NSIC Baseball Tournament. The Golden Eagles qualified by sweeping Minot State University Thursday, May 13 and Friday, May 14 in Minot, N.D. UMN Crookston will now compete in a double-elimination, four-team tournament at Karras Park Home of Ronken Field in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Golden Eagles will open up play in Sioux Falls, S.D., by taking on top-seeded Minnesota State University Wednesday, May 19 at 12 p.m. The winner will advance to take on the winner of second-seeded Augustana University and third-seeded St. Cloud State University Thursday, May 30 at 3 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D. The loser of Wednesday's game will face the loser of the St. Cloud State/Augustana tilt Thursday, May 20 at 12 p.m. The NSIC Championship game of the NSIC Tournament will be held Friday, May 21 at 11 a.m. If a second game of the NSIC Championship is needed, it will be played immediately following Friday's first game.

No. 5 Minnesota Crookston vs. No. 1 Minnesota State
Wednesday, May 19 – 12 p.m.
Karras Park Home of Ronken Field, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Radio - 1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM - https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KROX
TV - Midco Sports Network
Live Video - https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
Live Stats - https://goaugie.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
 
No. 5 Minnesota Crookston vs. No. 2 Augustana/No. 3 St. Cloud State
Thursday, May 20 – 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Karras Park Home of Ronken Field, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Radio - 1260 KROX AM/105.7 FM - https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KROX
TV - Midco Sports Network
Live Video - https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
Live Stats - https://goaugie.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
 
Minnesota Crookston earned their first-ever NSIC Tournament wins last week against Minot State University. The Golden Eagles have made five NSIC Tournament appearances, this is their fourth appearance since 2016. It is also the most wins a UMN Crookston team has had at an NSIC Tournament since joining the conference in 1999. Minnesota Crookston has one NSIC Championship, earning the title in men's golf in 2002.
 
The Golden Eagles come into the week with a 25-10 (18-10 NSIC) mark. Minnesota Crookston is just three wins short of tying their school-record 28 wins, set in 2019. The Golden Eagles have their best win-percentage as a NCAA Division II team. UMN Crookston has had one of the biggest turnarounds in the NCAA for baseball going from one win each season in 2013 and 2014 to 148 since the 2015 season. Minnesota Crookston is led by Head Coach Steve Gust, who is the winningest coach in any sport for UMN Crookston. Minnesota Crookston also earned their first-ever program ranking, reaching a high of No. 18 in the NCBWA poll. In addition, the Golden Eagles were ranked in the first Central Region poll. They fell out in the second poll, but could be on the cusp of an at-large bid or the automatic bid depending on how the rest of the NSIC Tournament goes for the Golden Eagles.
 
The Golden Eagles come into the weekend hitting .272 as a team. Minnesota Crookston has scored 281 runs, has 64 doubles, 10 triples, 63 home runs, and 244 RBIs. The Golden Eagles shattered their school record for home runs. The previous record was 37, set in 2016. Minnesota Crookston's 244 RBIs rank second in the school's history. UMN Crookston's .515 slugging percentage is currently second all time. The Golden Eagles have walked 184 times, which currently ranks second all time. Minnesota Crookston's .397 on-base percentage is currently second in the program's history.
 
Nationally, the Golden Eagles rank 21^st in the nation and 11^th for home runs per game. Will Zimmerman (R-Sr., OF/SS, Park River, N.D.) is 12^th in the country for hits by pitch per game. Brock Reller (Sr., OF, Grand Forks, N.D.) broke Reed Hjelle's career home run record last week with his 29^th. He is currently 18^th in the country for 15 home runs during the 2021 season. He is 16^th nationally for home runs per game.
 
Jake Hjelle (R-Fr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) leads the team with a .337 batting average. He has scored 30 runs, and has eight doubles, nine home runs, and 31 RBIs. Mason Ruhlman (R-Sr., 2B, Algonac, Mich.) comes in batting .336 with a team-high 39 runs scored. Ruhlman has 10 doubles, 10 home runs, and 34 RBIs. Reller is hitting .323 with 35 runs scored, six doubles, four triples, 15 home runs, and a team-high 45 RBIs. Zimmerman comes in batting .307 with 37 runs scored and 17 stolen bases, while Landyn Swenson (R-Sr., OF, Devils Lake, N.D.) is swinging .305 for the season.
 
On the bump, Jake Dykhoff (Jr., RHP, Wadena, Minn.) leads the way. He is 5-0 with a 3.44 ERA in 52.1 innings pitched. Dykhoff has 76 strikeouts and just 14 walks. Matt Nelson (R-So., RHP, Afton, Minn.) enters the week with a 3-0 mark and a 4.61 ERA, with 34 strikeouts and 17 walks. Conner Richardson (R-So., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) is 1-3 with a 5.00 ERA, while Jake Osowski (R-Fr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) is 4-1 with a 5.14 ERA. Out of bullpen, Brody Sorenson (Fr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) leads the way with six saves. He has a 3.86 ERA on the season. Tyler Hegg (R-So., RHP, Thompson, N.D.) was the hero against Minot State Friday, earning the save with a strikeout with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. Dykhoff comes in 13^th nationally in complete games.
 
As a team, Minnesota Crookston's pitching staff has a 6.00 ERA, with 281 strikeouts, and just 153 walks. The Golden Eagles average nine strikeouts/9 innings, which currently ranks first in program history. In addition, they are second for strikeouts in a season, tied for third for shutouts, tied for fourth for saves, fourth for fewest hits allowed, fourth for fewest runs allowed and earned runs allowed, second for lowest batting average, and fourth for fewest hit by pitches.
 
Minnesota State
 
Minnesota State comes in with a 34-7 (28-6 NSIC). The Mavericks are 13^th in the NCBWA poll. Minnesota State is the top seed in the NSIC Tournament. They defeated the University of Sioux Falls in the first round of the NSIC Tournament May 13 and 14.
 
The Mavericks and Golden Eagles have not played this season, as the games slated for April 15 were canceled due to COVID-19 protocols. The two teams split in Mankato, Minn., during the 2019 season. Minnesota State won 10-0 in their last meeting in the NSIC Tournament, played May 10, 2017 in St. Cloud, Minn.
Minnesota State comes in hitting .304 as a team. They have scored 288 runs on the season, with 49 home runs and 250 RBIs. Joey Werner leads the way, batting .434 with 37 runs scored, eight doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, and 48 RBIs. Teddy Petersen has also had a strong season, hitting .370 with 37 runs scored, six home runs and 28 RBIs. Additionally, Ross Indlecoffer is batting .295 with 28 runs scored, six home runs, and 18 RBIs.
 
The Mavericks pitching staff comes in with a 2.56 ERA, 398 strikeouts, and 75 walks. Collin Denk leads the way with a 9-0 mark and a 1.37 ERA, with 68 strikeouts and just four walks. Nick Altermatt is 4-1 with a 1.43 ERA, while Brendan Knoll is 8-0 with a 1.86 ERA, and Jon Ludwig is 7-2 with a 2.07 ERA. Out of the bullpen, Hunter Even has been the man on the back end. He has nine saves with a 1.00 ERA.
 
St. Cloud State
 
The Huskies open the final round by taking on Augustana University Wednesday, May 19 at 6 p.m. St. Cloud State is 22-12 (18-9 NSIC) coming into Wednesday. Minnesota Crookston is 2-3 against the Huskies this season.
 
St. Cloud State is batting .321 as a team, they have 260 runs scored, 39 home runs, and 236 RBIs. Jake Shusterich leads the team, hitting .398 with 24 runs scored, and a team-high 12 doubles. John Nett is hitting .387 with a team-high 45 runs scored, while Matt Quade is batting .370 with a team-high 37 RBIs. In addition, Paul Steffensen is hitting .331 with 35 runs scored, seven doubles, seven home runs, and 30 RBIs.
 
On the bump, the Huskies come in with a 4.01 ERA. They have 280 strikeouts and 107 walks. The staff is led by Trevor Koenig, a 6-11 lefty, who is 4-3 with a 2.42 ERA with 55 strikeouts and 13 walks. Jack Habeck comes in with a 6-1 mark and a 2.82 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched, while Matt Osterberg is 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA.
 
Augustana
 
Augustana comes in with a 33-9 (29-9 NSIC) mark and a No. 19 national ranking. The Vikings split with Minnesota Crookston March 30 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
Augustana comes in batting .322 as a team, with 63 home runs, and 306 RBIs. The Vikings are led by Carter Howell, who is batting .419 with 52 runs scored, 12 doubles, nine home runs, and 40 RBIs. Will Olson comes into the weekend hitting .344 with 31 runs scored, nine doubles, 13 home runs, and 38 RBIs, while Christian Kuzemka is hitting .340. Jordan Barth is batting .333 with 47 runs scored, 10 home runs, and 46 RBIs.
 
On the mound, Ryan Jares leads the way with a 1.68 ERA and a 6-1 mark. He has 85 strikeouts and just nine walks on the season. Koby Bishop is 6-1 with a 2.23 ERA, while Max Steffens is 8-1 with a 2.50 ERA. Former Golden Eagle pitcher Parker Hanson is 1-1 with a 5.12 ERA. Hanson is a graduate transfer for Augustana after earning his degree from UMN Crookston.
 
Ticket Information
 
Tickets can be purchased at the gate of Karras Park. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students, and free for children age five and under.


Send-Off
 
UMN Crookston will have a send-off at the Peterson Gazebo May 18 at 9:30 a.m. You can come and send your well wishes as the team heads to Sioux Falls, S.D. to continue play in the NSIC Tournament.