Box Score HILO, Hawai'i – The University of Minnesota Crookston made their debut in a six-game series with the University of Hawai'i Hilo Thursday, February 10 at Wong Stadium in Hilo, Hawai'i. The Vulcans picked up the 6-2 victory over the Golden Eagles guided by a six strikeout pitching performance from James Yamasaki on the mound.

Minnesota Crookston dropped to 2-2 with Thursday's loss. Hawai'i Hilo improved to 5-1 with the victory.

Yamasaki picked up the win for the Vulcans after tossing five innings, striking out six, and walking three. He allowed just two hits. Brody Sorenson (So., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) suffered the loss after throwing 4.1 innings and allowing eight hits and five earned runs. Sorenson struck out three.

Minnesota Crookston scattered five hits in the game. Chad Musser (R-Sr., OF, Plymouth, Minn.) led the way, going 1-of-3 with an RBI. Ben Thoma (R-Sr., C/3B, Clearbrook, Minn.) was 0-of-2 with a run scored. Mitch Goodwin (So., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) finished 1-of-2 with a double. Conner Fonger (R-So., OF, Superior, Wis.) was 1-of-2 with one run scored.

Hawai'i Hilo had 12 hits for the game. The Vulcans looked to Ryan Cho, going 2-of-4 with two RBIs. Casey Yamauchi finished 3-of-5 with an RBI, and a run scored from his lead-off position. Eric Peterson went 2-of-5 with a run scored, while Jaryn Kanbara hit a home run, going 1-of-4 with an RBI, and a run scored.

The Vulcans opened the game with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first after Kobie Russell reached on a walk. Cho singled up the middle with the bases juiced to drive in Peterson and Yamauchi to give Hawai'I Hilo an early 2-0 advantage. Sorenson pitched out of any further trouble to keep the tally at 2-0.

The Vulcans extended their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second when Yamauchi singled up the middle to plate Bradyn Yoshida. Sorenson got two crucial outs to get the Golden Eagles out of the half inning.

Sorenson recovered and mowed down Hawai'I Hilo's line-up in order in the bottom of the third inning. Yamasaki responded by striking out the Golden Eagle side in the top of the fourth to hold the 3-0 advantage for the Vulcans.

Hawai'i Hilo put runners on the corners in the bottom of the fourth, but Sorenson struck out Peterson to keep the deficit at 3-0 heading to the top of the fifth.

The Vulcans opened up the bottom of the fifth with a single from Joseph Gallagher and a walk offered to Kobie Russell. Sorenson was pulled from the game after the walk in favor of Joey Greco (R-Jr., RHP, Half Moon Bay, Calif.). A Cho single loaded up the bases with one out. The Vulcans pushed their lead to 4-0 with a Chris Aubort single to plate Gallagher. Hawai'I Hilo widened the gap to 5-0 with a sacrifice fly from Bradyn Yoshida to bring in Russell. Greco got the final out to get Minnesota Crookston out of further danger.

Cody Hirata put on a pair of runners in the top of the sixth as Fonger reached on a single and Thoma walked. Matt Nunn (Jr., C, Edina, Minn.) grounded out, but Fonger would come in to score on a throwing error to trim the deficit to 5-1. Hirata got out of the inning with a strikeout of Hjelle, but not without the Golden Eagles cutting into the Vulcan lead.

Greco retired the first two batters quickly in the bottom of the sixth. However, Kanbara had other ideas as he drove one over the left field fence to push the lead for the Vulcans to 6-1. Greco was able to get the Golden Eagles out of the frame.

The Golden Eagles looked to get going in the top of the seventh. Takashi Umino walked Musser to open up the frame. With no outs, Goodwin doubled to move Musser over to third and give the Golden Eagles two runners in scoring position with no outs. Umino struck out Goelz to get the first out of the stanza. Pinch-hitter Teddy Giefer (So., 1B, Courtland, Minn.) walked to load up the bases with one out for Minnesota Crookston. Umino struck out pinch-hitter Brad Morris (R-Sr., OF, Auckland, New Zealand) to get the second out of the frame. Umino got out of the bases loaded situation with a strikeout of Bryant to preserve the 6-1 advantage.

Americo Sculati (Fr., RHP, Golden Valley, Minn.) made his pitching debut for the Golden Eagles and mowed down the order for Hawai'i Hilo in the bottom of the seventh.

Minnesota Crookston got the first two runners on in the top of the eighth as Thoma walked, and Nunn was hit by a pitch. Alden Norquist came in to replace Umino on the bump after the hit by pitch. Musser stepped up with a single to plate Thoma to cut the lead for the Vulcans to 6-2. Norquist got out of the inning without any further damage done by the Golden Eagles.

The Golden Eagles had another freshman make his pitching debut in the bottom of the eighth, as Max Weber (Fr., RHP, St. Paul, Minn.) retired the first two batters. Peterson doubled to try to keep things going for the Vulcans. Peterson moved to third on a wild pitch, but was thrown out at home to get the final out of the frame.

Minnesota Crookston attempted to make a ninth inning rally as Giefer walked to lead off the inning. However, Morris grounded into the double play. Norquist got the final out as the Vulcans picked up the 6-2 victory.

The Golden Eagles will look to even the series with game two on the island of Hawai'i, as they face the Vulcans at 10 p.m. C.T.