SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Top-seeded Minnesota State University, Mankato scored 11 unearned runs as UMN Crookston had two costly errors in the game, falling 15-9. The Mavericks were guided by a grand slam by Ty Denzer in the bottom of the seventh. Minnesota Crookston had trimmed the deficit to 7-5 in the top of the seventh, but Minnesota State tallied five runs in the seventh frame and three in the eighth to help secure the victory. Minnesota Crookston attempted a ninth inning comeback with a three-run home run by Will Zimmerman (R-Sr., OF, Park River, N.D.) and a solo shot from Jake Hjelle (R-Fr., 1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.).

Minnesota State, ranked No. 13 in the NCBWA poll, moves to 35-7 with Wednesday's victory. The Golden Eagles fall to 25-11 with the loss. The Mavericks move on to face the winner of Augustana University and St. Cloud State University Thursday, May 20 at 3 p.m. The Golden Eagles will play in a win or go-home situation Thursday, May 20 at 12 p.m. at Karras Park at Ronken Field in Sioux Falls, S.D. UMN Crookston will play the loser of Wednesday evening's Augustana/St. Cloud State tilt.

The Golden Eagles have had a historic season. They are three wins away from tying their school-record 28 wins set in 2019. Minnesota Crookston has had their best-ever win percentage. The Golden Eagles have made four NSIC Tournaments since 2016. With two wins in 2021, UMN Crookston have had their most success in NSIC Tournament history. The Golden Eagles are currently ranked 30^th in the Collegiate Baseball poll.

Nick Altermatt got the win for the Mavericks, tossing 5.2 innings and allowing four earned runs on five hits. He had eight strikeouts and two walks. Jon Ludwig came on in relief and went 2.1 innings, allowing no earned runs, while Nathan Culley allowed three runs in the ninth, while Trevor Divinski finished out the game for Minnesota State.

The loss went to Jake Dykhoff, his first of the season as he falls to 5-1. Dykhoff allowed just one earned run in two innings. Alex Koep (Fr., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) tossed four innings of shutout baseball. He had five strikeouts. Brody Sorenson (Fr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) allowed no earned runs in 0.1 innings, as did Tyler Hegg (R-So., RHP, Thompson, N.D.). Jayden Grover (R-Sr., RHP, Cooperstown, N.D.) allowed three runs.

Minnesota Crookston was led by Zimmerman, who was 3-of-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Hjelle finished 3-of-5 with three RBIs. Eli Jung (Sr., OF, Dickinson, N.D.) was 2-of-5, while Scott Finberg (R-Sr., 3B, Stillwater, Minn.) went 1-of-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Minnesota State was guided by NSIC Player of the Year Joey Werner, who went 3-of-6 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Ty Denzer went 3-of-6 with six RBIs and a run tallied.
Minnesota State took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a single from Adam Schneider to drive in Ross Indlecoffer. Dykhoff was able to get out of any further trouble with a strikeout of Ty Denzer.

The Golden Eagles ran into trouble in the bottom of the second. With one out, Jack Friedges reached on a fielder's choice as Ben Livorsi was safe on an error. In the next at-bat Teddy Petersen sent one over the fence to drive in Livorsi and Friedges to give Minnesota State a 4-0 lead. With the bases loaded, Werner scored on a wild pitch to extend the advantage to 5-0. The Mavericks widened their lead to 7-0 with a Denzer double to left center to score Indlecoffer and Schneider to push the advantage to 7-0.

Koep came on in relief of Dykhoff in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, Koep struck out NSIC Player of the Year Werner to keep the score at 7-0. Koep followed it up with a strikeout of Indlecoffer to keep the game at 7-0.

The Golden Eagles looked to get a two-out rally going in the top of the fourth as Zimmerman reached on a single and advanced to second on an error. Finberg was hit with a pitch to give UMN Crookston two on with two outs. Hjelle came through with an RBI single through the right side. He would drive in Zimmerman. Finberg would come in on an error by the right fielder, while Hjelle moved over to second. Altermatt got the final out of the stanza on what was a hard hit ball to center from Stroh.

The Mavericks had Schneider reach on a walk, however Koep was able to retire the final three in the inning, including a pair of strikeouts.

Swenson reached on a one-out walk in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Mason Ruhlman (R-Sr., 2B, Algonac, Mich.) was hit by a pitch to give Minnesota Crookston two on and two out. Altermatt got Brock Reller (Sr., OF, Grand Forks, N.D.) to pop out in foul territory, keeping the score at 7-2 in favor of the Mavericks.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Mavericks had two runners reach, but Koep was able to get Indlecoffer to ground out to third base to keep the score at 7-2.

Zimmerman led off the top of the sixth with a double down the left field line. Finberg traded places with him with a double off the wall of the left field fence to plate Zimmerman and trim the deficit to 7-3. Hjelle with a single to plate Finberg to cut the Minnesota State lead to 7-4. With two outs, Swenson walked, giving UMN Crookston runners on the corners after Hjelle stole second and reached third on a wild pitch. Jon Ludwig would come on to replace Altermatt. On the first pitch Ludwig tossed, Bryant sent one through the right side to plate Hjelle and cut the Maverick lead to 7-5. Ludwig would then walk Ruhlman on four pitches, loading the bases for Reller. Ludwig struck out Reller to keep the Maverick advantage at 7-5, but not without UMN Crookston scoring three runs.

In the bottom of the sixth, Denzer doubled for the Mavericks, but would be stranded as Koep worked out of any further danger to keep the tally at 7-5 in favor of Minnesota State.
Ludwig retired the Golden Eagles in order in the top of the seventh.

With one out, Werner lined one into left field but Swenson flashed his glove with outstanding diving catch to save the base hit and secure a second out. The Mavericks added a run in the bottom of the seventh when Indlecoffer reached on the error, and Friedges came in to score to push the advantage to 8-5 for the Mavericks. Denzer came through with a grand slam to drive in Schneider, Indlecoffer, and Petersen and push the Minnesota State lead to 12-5. Jayden Grover got the final out of the inning with a groundout by Livorsi.

Minnesota Crookston had Jung double in the top of the eighth, but Ludwig retired the rest of the order to keep Minnesota State in a 12-5 advantage.

The Mavericks extended their lead to 15-5 with a Werner three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth.

The Golden Eagles looked to make a rally in the top of the ninth. Ruhlman walked to leadoff the frame, while Reller hit a single to right field. Zimmerman came through with his eighth home runs of the season, putting one over the right field fence to cut the deficit to 15-8. With one out, Hjelle followed suit with a solo home run over the left field fence to trim the Minnesota State lead to 15-9. Divinski got the final out to squash any comeback hopes and preserve the 15-9 win for Minnesota State.

The Golden Eagles will look to keep their season going against the loser of St. Cloud State/Augustana Thursday,  May 20 at 12 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D.