Brandon, S.D. – This weekend, Minnesota Crookston baseball will open up NSIC play against The University of Sioux Falls in Brandon, S.D.
 
The Golden Eagles will open up conference play on Saturday and Sunday after finishing a program best 18-10 a season ago in the NSIC.
 
How to Follow
Minnesota Crookston @ Sioux Falls
Saturday, March 19
1:30 (7 Inning) / 3:30 (9 Inning)
Brandon, S.D. / First National Bank Field
Live Stats -- https://usfcougars.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
 
Minnesota Crookston @ Sioux Falls
Sunday, March 20
12 P.M.
Brandon, S.D. / First National Bank Field
Live Stats -- https://usfcougars.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
 
Minnesota Crookston (8-11)
The Golden Eagles will open up conference play after playing six games in Florida, where they went 6-6, including two-straight wins to conclude their trip in the Sunshine State.
 
The Golden Eagles will take on the Cougars of Sioux Falls, whom they swept last season, also on the road.
 
Offensively, the Golden Eagles are hitting .244 as a team and have been led by Jake Hjelle (R-So., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) and Brad Morris (R-Sr., OF, Aukland, New Zealand). The East Grand Forks native leads the way with a .347 average and an OPS of over 1.000. Hjelle has also driven in 22 runs, which leads the NSIC and has also drawn 11 walks, both leading the team. Morris is hitting .307 on the season and is tied for the team lead with five doubles. Matt Nunn (Jr., C, Edina, Minn.) and Zeke Hass (Jr., OF, Eaton, Colo.) are hitting .278 and .276, respectively. Ben Thoma (R-Sr., C/3B, Clearbrook, Minn.) leads the Golden Eagles with seven home runs, which is also tied for the NSIC lead.
 
On the bump, the Golden Eagles have been solid. Jake Dykhoff (R-Jr., P, Wadena, Minn.) is 4-1 in four starts and two complete games, which leads the NSIC and is fifth in the nation. The redshirt junior has a 1.33 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 27.0 innings of work. Alex Koep (So., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) also has four starts and is 1-2 with a 2.91 ERA and leads the team with 38 strikeouts. Conner Richardson (R-Jr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) and Matt Nelson (R-Jr., RHP, Afton, Minn.) have combined to make eight starts and have 23 strikeouts between the two. Jake Osowski (So., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) has been really good in five appearances and two starts, with a 2.01 ERA. In the bullpen, freshman Americo Sculati (Fr., OF/RHP, Golden Valley, Minn.) has been solid.
 
University of Sioux Falls (8-7)
The Cougars are 8-7 on the season and started 2022 4-0 after a four-game sweep of Southwest Baptist of Missouri. In their last 11 games however, USF is 4-7 in their last 11 games. The Cougars are on a two-game winning streak after defeating Wayne State of Michigan and NSIC foe St. Cloud State to wrap-up their Florida trip.
 
Redshirt freshman Noah Christenson has been off to a blazing start in 2022. The Buffalo, Minn., native leads the team with a .434 average and is first on the Cougars in hits at 23 and total bases at 27. Tyler Cate, Brady Klehr and Trey Hubers are a trio that have started 14 or more games and are hitting over .300. Cate is second on the team with a .375 average. USF has hit seven home runs as a team. Sophomore Ben Serie leads the way with two home runs.
 
On the hill, the Cougars have struggled a bit to the tune of a 6.19 team ERA. Caleb Ditmarson, Matt Graham and Andrew Maslowski have each made three starts this season. Ditmarson, the senior from Willmar, Minn., has a 4.24 ERA in three starts and leads the staff with one complete game and 17.0 innings of work. He also leads the team with 18 strikeouts. Through 15 games, the bullpen has been huge for the Cougars. Conor McGonigal has been unbelievable out of the pen. The redshirt junior from Omaha has allowed just one run in over nine innings of work and has struck out 14 hitters. The Cougars have a true shutdown arm they can go to in order to get big outs.