SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Brock Reller launched a pair of home runs and Conner Richardson (R-So., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) pitched a shutout over 6.1 innings to send the University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team to a 6-1 win over St. Cloud State University. Minnesota Crookston's baseball season continues as they move on in the NSIC Tournament. The Golden Eagles will play the winner of Augustana University and Minnesota State University 45 minutes after their game slated to start close to 4 p.m. The tentative start for Minnesota Crookston's game tonight will be 7 p.m.

The Golden Eagles moved to 26-11 with the victory over St. Cloud State. Minnesota Crookston moves to 3-3 on the season against the Huskies. St. Cloud State falls to 22-14 on the season. UMN Crookston has their most wins in an NSIC Tournament with three and continued a historic season. The Golden Eagles are No. 30 in the Collegiate Baseball poll. UMN Crookston is also ranked No. 8 in the Central Region. Minnesota Crookston is on the bubble of the Central Region Tournament.
The Golden Eagles are now just two wins shy of tying their school-record 28 wins set during the 2019 season.

Richardson went 6.1 innings with an outstanding outing. Richardson allowed no runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out three. Brody Sorenson (Fr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) went 1.2 innings and gave up no runs and struck out three. Garrett Hohn (R-Sr., RHP, Wausau, Wis.) allowed one run on two hits, while Tyler Hegg (R-So., RHP, Thompson, N.D.) shut the door in the ninth, allowing no runs on no hits in 0.2 innings.

Trevor Koenig suffered the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits over five innings.

Minnesota Crookston was guided by Reller, who went 3-of-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Will Zimmerman (R-Sr., OF, Park River, N.D.) was 3-of-5 with two runs scored, while Ben Bryant (R-Jr., SS, Fargo, N.D.) went 2-of-4 with a run scored.
Bryant led off the game with a single into left field. Zimmerman kept it going with a single through the left side to give UMN Crookston two base runners with no outs to open up the tilt. Mason Ruhlman (R-Sr., 2B, Algonac, Mich.) came through with a single up the middle after working the count full. His single drove in Bryant to give Minnesota Crookston a 1-0 advantage out of the gate. Reller dropped one into left field with runners in scoring position, he drove in Zimmerman but Ruhlman was thrown out at the plate. Koenig got the final two outs of the frame, but not without Minnesota Crookston taking the early 2-0 lead.

Richardson made quick work in the bottom of first and the bottom of the second, mowing down the order in both stanzas. Richardson tallied just 20 pitches in the two frames.

With one out in the top of the third, Zimmerman sent one up the middle to give UMN Crookston a base runner with one out. Zimmerman moved over to second on his team-leading 18^th stolen base on the season. He would move over to third on a passed ball, putting him just 90 feet from home. Reller then launched one over the right field fence on a ball that left no doubt whether it was gone or not. He drove in Zimmerman to give Minnesota Crookston a 4-0 advantage. The Huskies secured the final out, but not without UMN Crookston taking a 4-0 lead.

St. Cloud State secured their first hit with a single by Tate Wallat in the bottom of the third. Wallat was quickly retired on the base paths when Drew Bulson grounded into a double play. Bryant made an outstanding play to get the Golden Eagles out of the frame in seven pitches.

Koenig had his best inning in the top of the fourth as the St. Cloud State pitcher took down the Golden Eagle batters in order.

St. Cloud State led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk to John Nett for the Huskies second base runner of the game. Nett moved over to second on an error on an attempted pickoff by Richardson. Max Gamm hit an infield single that deflected off Richardson to give the Huskies two runners on the corners. Richardson got a clutch strikeout of Paul Steffensen after the umpires reviewed a close call at first on a pickoff attempt of Gamm. The ball was there early but the tag was late by Hjelle. In the next at-bat Chu threw out Gamm on a stolen base attempt at second base. The umpires reviewed the call, but it was upheld. In the next at-bat Richardson hit Shusterich with a pitch, giving the Huskies runners on the corners. Richardson secured the final out of the inning with a fly out to center field to preserve the 4-0 lead despite an eventful inning.

Koenig retired the first two batters quickly in the top of the fifth, but Zimmerman notched his third hit to keep the inning alive. He moved to second base on his 19^th stolen base of the year. However, Ruhlman grounded out as the Huskies got out of danger, keeping the score at 4-0.

Richardson made quick work of St. Cloud State in the bottom of the fifth led by a pair of outstanding defensive plays by Finberg and Bryant.

Reller continued his big day with his second home run of the game to put Minnesota Crookston ahead 5-0. The home run chased Koenig from the game. Fabian Villegas came on in relief of Koenig. The Golden Eagles looked to keep things going as Hjelle reached on an error. Villegas was able to get out of the inning but UMN Crookston was able to extend their lead to 5-0.

The Huskies put two on in the bottom of the sixth guided by a Parker Savard single and a Gamm walk. Richardson continued his strong outing by striking out Richardson to get out of trouble.

Minnesota Crookston pushed their lead to 6-0 as Ben Thoma broke through with his first hit of 2021, in the form of a home run. Thoma was injured in the fall and was not expected to play in 2021, but he first played in the season-ending series against Minot State University. Thoma's home run chased Villegas from the game, as they brought on Jack Habeck in relief. Habeck hit Bryant with a pitch to give the Golden Eagles a base runner. St. Cloud State was able to get out of any further trouble.

St. Cloud State put runners on the corners in the bottom of the seventh with singles from Walker and Wallat with one out. A walk to Drew Bulson loaded up the bases as Richardson would be replaced on the bump by Sorenson. Sorenson came on and got a key strikeout of pinch-hitter Tyler Schiller. Sorenson struck out Nett to leave the bases loaded.

Habeck again made quick work, allowing one walk, but retiring the other three UMN Crookston batters in the top of the eighth.

Sorenson retired St. Cloud State in order to keep the score at 6-0 in favor of Minnesota Crookston.

Minnesota Crookston had one base runner but Habeck was able to get out of trouble and keep the game at 6-0.

St. Cloud State opened the bottom of the ninth with Quade reaching on a hit by pitch. Walker then singled, but was thrown out on a rocket from right field from Reller to the shortstop. Quade moved to third on the play. Wallat singled to drive in Quade to chase Garrett Hohn (R-Sr., RHP, Wausau, Wis.) from the game. Hegg came on to try to secure the final two outs.

Minnesota Crookston will play either Augustana or Minnesota State at approximately 7 p.m. at Karras Field Home of Ronken Field in Sioux Falls, S.D.