SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team picked up the sweep Sunday, March 27 against Concordia University-St. Paul. The Golden Eagles won both games in extra innings Sunday. UMN Crookston picked up a 4-1 win in game one, and took the 5-4 victory in the second tilt.

The Golden Eagles moved to 11-13 (3-2 NSIC) with the sweep Sunday at Bishop Mueller Field in Sioux City, Iowa. Concordia-St. Paul dropped to 10-9 (4-3 NSIC) with the losses. Minnesota Crookston is 8-1 in their last nine games against the Golden Bears dating back to March 24, 2019.

Game One
The Golden Eagles took the first game of the doubleheader with a 4-1 victory over the Golden Bears. The two teams went to extra innings in a pitcher's duel. Jake Dykhoff (R-Jr., RHP, Wadena, Minn.), who went eight innings, allowing one unearned run, on four hits. Dykhoff struck out 11 and walked just three, as he moved to 5-2 on the season.

Luke DeGrammont earned the start for Concordia-St. Paul. He went 7.1 innings, allowing three earned runs, on two hits. DeGrammont walked four, and struck out seven. Alec Holcomb pitched in relief, giving up no runs, on two hits, in 0.2 innings of action.

Minnesota Crookston tallied four hits in the game. Ben Goelz (R-So., OF, Maple Lake, Minn.) went 1-of-4, with two RBIs. Mitch Goodwin (R-So., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) went 1-of-3, with a run scored. Matt Nunn (Jr., C, Edina, Minn.) went 1-of-1, with an RBI. Paxton Nelson (Jr., OF, Spicer, Minn.) was 1-of-3, with a run scored.

Concordia-St. Paul notched four hits. Brayden Roybal was 1-of-4, with an RBI. Nick Thimsen and Matt Pietsch, were also 1-of-4. J.T. Hoffmann was 1-of-2 for the game.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Jack Peppel (Sr., 1B, Olivia, Minn.) reached on a dropped fly ball, allowing Goodwin to score.

The Golden Bears knotted the game up 1-1 when Roybal singled, driving in Chandler Ibach.

The two teams went to extra innings. UMN Crookston was able to break through in the top of the eighth. Nunn singled to right field, driving in Nelson to go ahead 2-1. Minnesota Crookston pushed the lead to 4-1 with a Goelz double, plating Ben Thoma (R-Sr., C/3B, Clearbrook, Minn.), and Conner Fonger (R-So., OF, Superior, Wis.).

Game Two
Minnesota Crookston overcame a 4-1 deficit in the fourth inning, defeating the Golden Eagles 5-4 in extra innings of game two.

Alex Koep (So., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) got the ball in the start, tossing six innings, and allowing two earned runs, on four hits. Koep struck out eight, and walked just one. Koep put the Golden Eagles in a great position.

Jake Osowski (R-So., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) picked up the win in relief, allowing no runs, on no hits, in two stanzas. Osowski struck out three.

The loss for Concordia-St. Paul went to Wyatt Rudolf in relief, as he allowed one run, on one hit. Jonah Lewis started the game, giving up two runs, on eight hits in seven frames. Lewis struck out six.

Minnesota Crookston looked to Goelz, who went 2-of-3, with a one run scored. Nunn finished 2-of-4, with a run scored. Teddy Giefer (So., Courtland, Minn.) went 1-of-2, with an RBI, and a run scored. Ben Bryant (R-Sr., 2B/SS, Fargo, N.D.) went 1-of-2, with an RBI. Brad Morris (R-Sr., OF, Auckland, New Zealand) finished 2-of-4.

The Golden Eagles took the 1-0 advantage in the top of the first with a Thoma sacrifice fly, scoring Nunn.

Concordia-St. Paul answered in the fourth. Thimsen reached on an error, allowing Jack Young to score to knot the tilt up 1-1. A Pietsch three-run home run, brought in Thimsen, Roybal, and Pietsch to put the Golden Bears up 4-1.

UMN Crookston trimmed the deficit to 4-2 in the top of the fifth when Giefer singled up the middle, plating Goelz. The Golden Eagles pulled within 4-3 when Nunn reached on a fielder's choice, and Giefer came in to score on an error.

Minnesota Crookston tied up the score 4-4 in the top of the seventh when Bryant's sacrifice fly plated Nelson.

Osowski came on and struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh for the Golden Eagles, as the pair headed to the top of the eighth in a 4-4 stalemate.

UMN Crookston put two on in the top of the eighth as Jake Hjelle (R-So., 3B/OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.). walked, and Morris singled. Hjelle came into score on a wild pitch to push the lead to 5-4.

Osowski was able to shut down the Golden Bears in the bottom of the eighth to pick up the 5-4 victory.

Minnesota Crookston will finish the series Monday, March 28 at 12 p.m. against Concordia-St. Paul in Sioux City, Iowa.