WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team fell 6-3 to Pace University and 5-2 to Dominican College Friday, March 18 at Diamondplex in Winter Haven, Fla. The Golden Eagles held a 3-2 advantage going into the sixth against the Setter of Pace, but they scored a combined four runs in the final two frames to pick up the 6-3 come-from-behind win. Against Dominican, the Golden Eagles made a late two-out charge, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh. But UMN Crookston was unable to make up the deficit in the 5-2 loss.
Game One
Minnesota Crookston had strong pitching in Friday's first game against Pace.
Thayda Houser (So., RHP, Seymour, Iowa) went six innings in the circle. She allowed three earned runs, on five hits, with one strikeout, and two walks.
Evie Stuck (Fr., RHP, Papillion, Neb.) came on in relief and allowed two runs, on one hit, with a strikeout, and two walks.
Minnesota Crookston struggled to get their bats going, as they were held to four hits.
Shaelyn Grant (So., C/OF, Grand Junction, Colo.) went 1-of-2, with two RBIs, and two runs scored, including a two-run home run.
Alina Avalos (Jr., 3B, Riverside, Calif.) went 1-of-2, with a run scored. Arina Gambala (So., UT, San Diego, Calif.) went 1-of-3, with an RBI.
Jenna Parfeniuk (So., 1B, Winnipeg, Manitoba) was also 1-of-3.
Pace was guided by the pitching of Anna Acevedo, who went a complete seven innings. She allowed three runs, on four hits. Acevedo struck out seven, and walked two.
The Setters were led at the plate by Alexandra Tejeda, who went 2-of-4, with two RBI. NancyAnn Revilla was 1-of-3, with two runs scored. Brianna Shea went 1-of-3, with an RBI. Gwen Pederson finished 1-of-2, with two RBIs, and a run scored. Sammi Swenson went 1-of-2, with a run scored.
Minnesota Crookston jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage with Grant's two-run home run, plating herself, and Avalos.
Pace knotted the score up 2-2 in the second when Pederson doubled, scoring Swenson and Revilla.
The Golden Eagles tilted the score in their favor when Grant scored on a Gambala groundout to make it 3-2.
The score remained 3-2 until the sixth when Shea doubled, driving in Revilla. A Jenny Gordon sacrifice fly plated Arianna Guarracino to make it 4-3. In the seventh, Tejeda singled in Jade Alvardo, and Gwen Pederson to make it 6-3.
Minnesota Crookston were unable to make up the deficit in the bottom of the seventh, as they fell 6-3.
Game Two
Nicole DeDen (Fr., Mission Viejo, Calif.) second start for the Golden Eagles and put UMN Crookston in a strong position to win. DeDen went six innings, allowing three earned runs, on five hits. DeDen struck out two, and walked three.
The Chargers of Dominican were guided by Journey Limardo, who allowed two unearned runs, on five hits in the complete game. Limardo struck out five, and walked two in the win.
Minnesota Crookston finished with five hits.
Kamryn Frisk (R-Sr., P/UT, Anchorage, Alaska), went 1-of-1, with one run scored. Frisk's hit got UMN Crookston's two-out rally going in the top of the seventh. Parfeniuk went 1-of-3.
Leah Macias (Sr., OF, West Covina, Calif.) went 1-of-3, with a run scored, while her twin sister Hannah Macais (Sr., OF, West Covina, Calif.) was 1-of-3. Avalos was 1-of-4, with an RBI.
The Chargers jumped on the scoreboard in the third when Haylee Redmond Ridge singled, driving in Jenna O'Reilly, and Chloe McIntosh to put Dominican up 2-0.
The Chargers added a run in the third when Rebecca Haggerty came around on a Kamryn Raya groundout.
In the sixth, Kristin Miscia hit a home run just over the out-stretched glove of
Leah Macias in center field, she drove in herself, and Brooke Lockwood.
With two outs, Minnesota Crookston made a final push. The first run came in the form of Frisk, as she scored when Grant reached on an error by the shortstop. Avalos then hit an infield single, plating
Leah Macias to trim the deficit to 5-2. The Golden Eagles would keep the bases loaded, but Limardo got
Dana Zarn (Jr., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba) to ground out to preserve the victory.
Minnesota Crookston has added games to their schedule to make up for the games lost earlier this week. The Golden Eagles will play Shepherd University at 10:30 a.m. C.T. Saturday, March 19, followed by a second game with Dominican College Saturday at 12:45 p.m. C.T. at Diamondplex. UMN Crookston will wrap up their Florida trip Sunday, March 20 at 10 a.m. C.T. against Saint Anselm College.
