HILO, Hawai'I – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team ended their six-game road trip to Hilo, Hawai'i with a split against the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. The Golden Eagles were guided in their 1-0 win in game two by a three-hit shutout by
Jake Dykhoff (R-Jr., RHP, Wadena, Minn.). In the first game, the Vulcans scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth to come back for a 10-8 victory.
Minnesota Crookston moved to 3-6 with Sunday's split. Hawai'i Hilo's mark is now at 9-2 following the split. The Vulcans win the series 5-1.
GAME ONE
Hawai'i Hilo scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth as the Vulcans upended Minnesota Crookston 10-8 in the first game. The Golden Eagles held a 7-3 advantage going into the bottom of the eighth.
Matt Nelson (R-Jr., RHP, Afton, Minn.) got the start and went 4.1 innings, allowing just three runs, with three strikeouts.
Logan Spencer (Fr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.), suffered the loss in relief. He allowed four runs on two hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Trace Brayton (R-So., LHP, Prentice, Wis.) pitched 0.1 innings and allowed three earned runs, on five hits.
Conor Meehan got the start for the Vulcans. He tossed three innings, and allowed two runs, on four hits. Jacob Liberta moved to 2-0 as he got the win in relief. Liberta pitched 2.1 innings, allowing no runs, and no hits. John Kea had the save, with one inning, with one earned run, and two hits.
The Golden Eagles had 13 hits in the first game.
Brad Morris (R-Sr., OF, Auckland, New Zealand) went 3-of-6 with two runs scored.
Matt Nunn (Jr., C, Edina, Minn.) went 2-of-5 with three RBIs, and a run scored.
Ben Thoma (R-Sr., C/3B, Clearbrook, Minn.) finished 2-of-4 with an RBI, and a run scored.
Chad Musser (R-Sr., OF, Plymouth, Minn.), was 3-of-5 with two runs scored.
The Vulcans were guided by Joseph Gallagher, going 2-of-5, with four RBIs, and a run scored. Chris Aubort was 2-of-4, with three RBIs, and a run scored. Jaryn Kanbara was 3-of-4 with two runs scored, as was Casey Yamauchi.
Hawai'I Hilo jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the first as Eric Peterson scored following a Gallagher groundout.
Minnesota Crookston knotted the game up 1-1 in the third when Thoma singled to drive in Morris. The Golden Eagles took a 2-1 advantage when
Zeke Hass (Jr., OF, Eaton, Colo.) hit a double down the left field line to drive in Thoma.
In the fourth, UMN Crookston took a 4-1 advantage when Nunn singled to plate Musser, and
Jack Peppel (Sr., 1B, Olivia, Minn.). The Golden Eagles moved their lead to 5-1 when Nunn scored when Hjelle reached on an error.
Hawai'i Hilo pulled within 5-2 when Yamauchi scored on a Gallagher single. The Vulcans trimmed the deficit to 5-3 when Lucas Sakay singled to left field to plate Kanbara.
The Golden Eagles got the runs back in the sixth. Hass walked with the bases loaded, driving in Morris to push the advantage to 6-3. Hjelle then scored on a
Mitch Goodwin (R-So., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) sacrifice fly.
The Vulcans came through in the eighth. Kobie Russell scored on a wild pitch as Hawai'i Hilo pulled within 7-4. Hawai'I Hilo pulled within one when Gallagher singled to drive in Peterson and Yamauchi. Hawai'I Hilo took the lead 9-7 when Aubort had a bases-clearing double, plating Sakay, Gallagher, and Kanbara. The Vulcans extended their advantage to 10-7 when Russell singled in Aubort.
Minnesota Crookston was able to get a run back in the ninth when Nunn singled in Musser. However, that would be all, as the Golden Eagles fell 10-8.
Game Two
Dykhoff pitched Minnesota Crookston to a 1-0 victory in game two of the doubleheader. Dykhoff hurled a complete game three-hitter. Dykhoff had seven strikeouts, and no walks in the game.
Minnesota Crookston had two hits for the game. Nunn went 1-of-3, while Morris went 1-of-3.
Barron Holtz got the start for Hawai'i Hilo, he went five innings and allowed just one run, on two hits. Holtz struck out five, and walked two. Cody Hirata and Alden Norquist both pitched scoreless innings.
At the plate, Josh Fuentes went 1-of-3. Teppei Fukuda finished 1-of-2, while Brett Komatsu was 1-of-2.
Minnesota Crookston took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on a
Teddy Giefer (So., 1B, Courtland, Minn.) sacrifice fly to score Thoma. The Golden Eagles wouldn't look back as the one run would be enough.
The Golden Eagles will next travel to face Missouri University of Science and Technology in a four-game series. The series begins Friday, February 25 at 1 p.m. in Rolla, Mo.
