Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 HILO, Hawai'I – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team was defeated by the University of Hawai'i Hilo in a doubleheader Saturday, February 12 at Wong Stadium in Hilo, Hawai'i. The Vulcans took the first game 10-4, and won on a walk-off single 2-1 in the second game.

Minnesota Crookston dropped to 2-5 with Saturday's losses. Hawai'i Hilo improved to 8-1 with the victories. The Vulcans officially take the series, as they have taken four games. The two teams will play the final two games of the series Sunday.

Game One
Minnesota Crookston fell 10-4 in game one of the doubleheader against the Vulcans. Hawai'I Hilo scored five runs in the first three innings, and three in the fifth inning to propel them to the game one victory.

Conner Richardson (R-Jr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) got the start for the Golden Eagles and tossed four innings, allowing three earned runs, on eight hits. Richardson had two strikeouts and two walks. Joey  Greco (R-Jr., RHP, Half Moon Bay, Calif.) pitched in relief and allowed two  earned runs in 0.1 of work. Americo Sculati (Fr., RHP, Golden Valley, Minn.) continued to be solid on the bump. Sculati allowed one unearned run on three hits, as he went 1.2 innings. Jackson Schneider (R-Jr., RHP, Forest Lake, Minn.) pitched one scoreless inning. Jakob Wiirre (Jr., RHP, Mims, Fla.) made his debut, and tossed one inning, allowing two runs on three hits in an inning of work.

Christian DeJesus got the start for the Vulcans. He went four innings and allowed three earned runs, with four strikeouts. Eamon Velarde got the win in relief. He tossed 2.2 innings, and allowed just one run on five hits.

At the plate, Minnesota Crookston finished with 10 hits. Brad Morris (R-Sr., OF, Auckland, New Zealand) led the way, going 2-of-4 with a run scored, and two RBIs. Teddy Giefer (So., 1B, Courtland, Minn.) finished 2-of-3. Ben Thoma (R-Sr., C/3B, Clearbrook, Minn.) went 1-of-4 with a run scored. Matt Nunn (Jr., C, Edina, Minn.) was 1-of-4 with a run scored.

The Vulcans were propelled by Jacob Gallagher, who went 3-of-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, including a home run. Casey Yamauchi, was 3-of-5 with an RBI, and a run scored. Eric Peterson finished 2-of-4 with two runs scored. Bradyn Yoshida was 2-of-4 with a run scored, while Brett Komatsu went 2-of-3 with two RBIs, and a run scored.

Game Two
The Golden Eagles fell in walk-off fashion against the Vulcans in the second game of the doubleheader with a Lucas Sakay single to drive in Jaryn Kanbara in the bottom of the seventh.

Minnesota Crookston was led on the night by a stand-out pitching performance from Alex Koep (So., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn.), who went 5.1 innings, with 12 strikeouts and just three walks. Koep allowed just one earned run. Isaac Roers (Fr., RHP Stacy, Minn.) suffered the loss in relief, giving up one earned run, on three hits in one inning on the bump.

Aaron Davies got the start in game two. He went six innings, and allowed one run, on two hits. Davies had five strikeouts. John Kea got the win after going one inning, and striking out two.

At the plate, Hjelle paced Minnesota Crookston. He went 1-of-3 with an RBI, and a run scored on a home run. Nunn went 1-of-3.

The Vulcans were led by Komatsu, who went 2-of-3 with an RBI. Kanbara went 1-of-1 with a run scored, while Sakay was 1-of-2 with the game-winning RBI.

Minnesota Crookston broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth with a solo home run from Hjelle to put the Golden Eagles ahead 1-0.

The Vulcans knotted the game up 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth when Komatsu singled to right center to drive in Kekaulike Kalua.

Hawai'i Hilo put up a threat in the bottom of the sixth. A walk offered to Sakay and a hit by pitch to Russell gave the Vulcans two on with one out. Isaac Roers (Fr., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) came on to try to put a halt to the effort for Hawai'i Hilo, and he did just that. He secured the final two outs of the inning to keep the score at 1-1.

Kea came on to try to keep the game tied up for the Vulcans. Kea made quick work of the Golden Eagles in the top of the seventh, as the score remained 1-1.

Hawai'i Hilo loaded up the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh. Jaryn Kanbara started everything with a single to right center. Yoshida then reached on an error by the pitcher. Komatsu reached on an infield single to load up the bags. Roers got Yamauchi to fly out to shallow center to keep the game at 1-1. Sakay delivered a walk-off single to send Hawai'i Hilo to end the second-straight night for the Vulcans with a walk-off victory.

Minnesota Crookston will complete the series with the Vulcans Sunday, February 13 at 4 and 6 p.m. C.T.