Topeka, Kan. – After waiting one more day to take the field outside for the first time due to weather, Minnesota Crookston softball split with a pair of MIAA schools on Sunday afternoon.
The Golden Eagles were able to defeat Newman University 8-4, in game one to earn the best start in school history at 7-5. Minnesota Crookston fell to Washburn University by a score of 8-2 in the final game of the twin bill.
With the split, the Golden Eagles move to 7-6 on the season.
Game One
The first two innings of the game between the Jets and Golden Eagles would be scoreless, but the bottom of the third would see the Golden Eagles breakthrough.
Whitnee Curry (Fr., IF, Lincoln, Neb.) would reach on an error after laying down a bunt, which would score
Leah Macias (Sr., OF, West Covina, Calif.). Curry would eventually score on a two-run single by
Ariana Gambala (So., UT, San Diego, Calif.), which would also score
Alina Avalos (Jr., IF, Riverside, Calif.).
The Jets would get one back on a solo shot in the top of the fourth, but Avalos would double in two Golden Eagles to stretch the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
Minnesota Crookston would score another in the fourth and another in the fifth to take a 7-1 lead, heading to the top of sixth.
NU would try and claw their way back into the game, scoring three in the top of the sixth inning, making it 7-4.
Shaelyn Grant (So., C/OF, Grand Junction, Colo.) would give the Golden Eagles some insurance by singling to left field, driving in
Alyssa Stillman (Jr., SS/2B, Hortonville, Wis.).
Evie Stuck (Fr., P/OF, Papillion, Neb.) would finish off the game for her sixth complete game of the season, which is tied for the conference lead.
Stuck allowed four runs, all of which were earned on eight hits and struck out three. The freshman moves to 5-1 on the season.
Grant went 3-4 with a run batted in, while Gambala and Avalos each collected two RBI in the win. The maroon and gold collected nine hits as a team.
Game Two
In the finale of them two games for the Golden Eagles, the Ichabods of Washburn University would score four runs in the bottom of the first, hitting a pair of long balls off of
Thayda Houser (R-So., P, Seymour, Iowa) to take an early 4-0 lead.
The 'Bods would add another in the bottom of the second, but the Golden Eagles wouldn't go away quietly.
The maroon and gold would score a pair of runs in the top of the third, highlighted by the fourth hit of the day by Grant, driving in Avalos.
Washburn would answer with a run in the bottom half of the inning and a pair in the bottom of the fourth, which would be enough for the 8-2 victory over the Golden Eagles.
Minnesota Crookston had four hits in the game, each coming from a different hitter in the lineup.
Houser picked up the loss in the game, falling to 1-3 on the season after giving up eight runs, just five of those were earned on nine hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Annjelica Moreno-Engelbrecht (R-Jr., P/UT, Oceanside, Calif.) went 2.2 innings of work and gave up just one hit.
What's Next
The Golden Eagles will wrap-up their trip to Topeka with another pair of games tomorrow against Emporia State at 10 A.M., and Pittsburg State at noon.
