CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team concluded the 2022 season with an 8-5 victory over University of Mary Saturday, May 7 in Crookston, Minn. The Golden Eagles scored eight runs, batting 13 people in the first inning. UMary tried to make a late charge but they came up short.

Minnesota Crookston concluded the season with an 18-27 (10-16 NSIC) mark. UMary ends the regular-season with a 24-25 (16-18 NSIC) record. The Marauders make the NSIC Tournament as the No. 8 seed. UMary clinched their second-straight NSIC Tournament berth yesterday with a pair of wins.

The game was the final one for the nine Minnesota Crookston seniors. The seniors are: Brad Morris (R-Sr., OF, Auckland, New Zealand), Ben Thoma (R-Sr., C/3B, Clearbrook, Minn.), Eric Graham (Sr., OF, Casper, Wyo.), Phil Hindes (R-Sr., RHP, Tucson, Ariz.), Sunny Resnick (Sr., C, Twin Valley, Minn.), Ben Bryant (R-Sr., 2B/SS, Fargo, N.D.), Tyler Jochen (R-Sr., 2B/SS, San Jose, Calif.), Chad Musser (R-Sr., OF, Plymouth, Minn.), and Jack Peppel (Sr., 1B, Olivia, Minn.). Eight of nine of the players made it into games this weekend, including Graham who made his first-ever plate appearance. Peppel was the only senior unable to play due to injury. 

The Golden Eagles had 10 hits Saturday. Minnesota Crookston was lifted by Ben Goelz (R-So., OF, Maple Lake, Minn.), who went 3-of-4, with a run scored. Jochen continued a big final week as a Golden Eagle, going 1-of-4, with three RBIs, and a run scored on a home run. Thoma was 2-of-4, with an RBI, and a run scored. Jake Hjelle (R-So., 3B/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) went 2-of-5, with an RBI, and a run scored. Morris finished 1-of-3, with a run scored. Mitch Goodwin (R-So., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) was 1-of-4, with an RBI, and a run scored.

Hindes got the start on Senior Day for Minnesota Crookston. He tossed two innings, allowing three runs, on four hits. Hindes struck out three, and walked one. Matt Nelson (R-Jr., RHP, Afton, Minn._ picked up the win in relief, allowing no runs, on three hits. Nelson struck out five in a great relief outing, walking none. Logan Spencer (Fr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) allowed no earned runs, on one hit in 0.2 innings on the hill. Jackson Schneider (R-Jr., RHP, Forest Lake, Minn.) allowed one run, on two hits in 0.1 innings. Jakob Wiirre (Jr., RHP, Mims, Fla.) worked UMN Crookston out of tricky situations in the eighth and ninth, earning his second save of the season. He struck out two, and walked one.

UMary jumped out to an early 3-0 advantage on the Golden Eagles in the top of the first. Michael Polson drilled the first pitch of the game over the left field fence for a home run to make it 1-0. Noah Hull then singled, driving in James Martin, and Derek Shoen to push the lead to 3-0.

The Golden Eagles delivered in their half of the first as starter Shaye McTavish couldn't control the UMN Crookston bats. Thoma opened up the scoring, with a single up the middle to drive in Morris. With the bases loaded, McTavish was called for a balk, with Hjelle scoring to push the advantage to 2-0. Thoma came in on a wild pitch to widen the gap to 3-0. The Golden Eagles continued their stanza with a Goodwin double to left center, driving in Nunn. With Paxton Nelson (Jr., UT, Spicer, Minn.) and Goodwin still on the base paths, Jochen launched a ball into left field, and it carried over the fence for a three-run shot to push the Golden Eagle advantage to 7-3. Hjelle capped off the big inning with a single to left center, scoring Goelz to make it 8-3.

Neither team scored until the seventh inning when Krece Papierski was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Kyle Jameson. Schneider pitched Minnesota Crookston out of further trouble.

The Marauders looked to make a dent in the lead again in the top of the eighth when Jameson doubled down the left field line, scoring Ethan Baptie. After the double, Wiirre would come on in relief of Schneider and would deliver in a crucial spot. Wiirre got two fly outs, and a strikeout to keep the Golden Eagles in an 8-5 lead.

The Marauders put up one last effort in the top of the ninth when Martin earned a lead-off walk. However, Wiirre retired the next three batters to pick up the save, and preserve the 8-5 win for the Golden Eagles.

Minnesota Crookston returns a strong core heading into the 2023 season, including a pitching staff scheduled to just lose one pitcher heading into the next campaign. The Golden Eagles will look to get back to the NSIC Tournament for the fifth time in nine years in 2023.