Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
WAIPAHU, Hawai'i - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team opened the season with a pair of losses at Hawai'i Pacific University at Central Oahu Regional Park in Waipahu, Hawai'i. The Golden Eagles posed a ninth inning rally in the first game with four runs, but fell short in a 8-6 loss. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Sharks were trailing 7-2 going into the bottom of the sixth, but scored five runs to force extra innings. Hawai'i Pacific toppled the Golden Eagles in the bottom of the ninth with a walk-off single by Noah Hata to win 9-8.

The Golden Eagles open the season with an 0-2 mark, while Hawai'i Pacific starts the season with a 2-0 mark.

GAME ONE – Hawai'i Pacific scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth to help tip the Golden Eagles 8-6 in game one. Minnesota Crookston rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth, but they would fall short in the loss.

Jake Dykhoff (R-Sr., RHP, Wadena, Minn.) started the game and allowed just two runs in the first four innings. Dykhoff finished the game pitching 4.1 innings, and allowing seven earned runs, on 10 hits. Dykhoff struck out two, and walked one. Alex Koep (Jr., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) came on in relief and didn't give up a run in 3.2 innings of relief. Dykhoff suffered the loss in game one.

Andrew Hauck got the win for the Sharks after tossing five innings. He allowed just one run, with four hits allowed, six strikeouts, and two walks. Kainoa Holt gave up three runs in 1.2 innings of work in relief. 

The Golden Eagles were paced by Caden Headlee (Jr., OF, Fargo, N.D.), who went 3-of-5 with one run scored. Matt Nunn (Sr., C, Edina, Minn.) finished 2-of-5. Teddy Giefer (Jr., 1B, Courtland, Minn.) went 2-of-5, with one RBI, and a run scored.

Minnesota Crookston jumped on to the scoreboard first in the top of the first with a solo home run from Jake Hjelle (R-Jr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.).

The Sharks knotted the game up 1-1 in the bottom of the first when Kota Suzuki singled to left center to drive in Cole Kashimoto.

Hawai'i Pacific took the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second when Chase Taylor tripled to right center to plate Richard Higa.

The game remained at 2-1 until the Sharks broke through with six runs in the bottom of the fifth. Taylor opened up the scoring with a single to plate D.J. Stephens. Hata then singled to center field to score Taylor to push the advantage to 4-1. Later in the inning, Tejean Smith laced a two RBI single, plating Nicholas Jio and Hata. Hawai'i Pacific pushed the lead to 7-1 when Kashimoto scored on an error. The Sharks extended their lead to 8-1 when Smith stole home. Koep was able to work out of the inning, but not without Hawai'i Pacific having a large advantage.

The Golden Eagles got a run back in the top of the seventh with a solo shot from Giefer to trim the lead to 8-2.  

Minnesota Crookston cut the lead to 8-3 in the top of the ninth when Mitch Goodwin (Jr., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) reached on an error and came around to score. The Golden Eagles put two on base later in the frame with a pair of two-out singles from Headlee and Nunn. They would load the bases as Hjelle reached on a walk. Ben Goelz (Jr., OF, Maple Lake, Minn.) broke through with a clutch double, driving in Nunn and Headlee. Hjelle would come across on the throw to trim the deficit to 8-6. Goelz would try to extend the double to a triple but was thrown out. With two outs, Christian Norby (Jr., OF, Ashby, Minn.) came up. He struck out swinging but reached first on a wild pitch to give the Golden Eagles another opportunity. Daniel Cortez came on in relief for the Sharks to try to get them out of the game. He was able to secure the out as Hawai'i Pacific won 8-6.

Game Two - Hawai'i Pacific came back to force extra innings in the second game, and won a walk-off from Hata. 

Minnesota Crookston got a stand-out performance on the mound from Jake Osowski (R-Jr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.), who tossed four innings, allowing just two runs on four hits. Osowski struck out four, and walked four.

Minnesota Crookston's bullpen had mixed results Saturday night. Jakob Wiirre (Sr., RHP, Mims, Fla.) went one scoreless inning with no hits allowed. Brody Sorenson (Jr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) was also a stand-out. He tossed 1.1 innings, allowing no runs on two hits. Jackson Schneider (R-Sr., RHP, Forest Lake, Minn.) pitched 0.2 innings, allowing five runs on five hits. Derin Gaudette (So., RHP, New York Mills, Minn.) made his Golden Eagle debut, going 1.2 innings, allowing one earned run on no hits. Gaudette ended up getting the loss Saturday night. Josh Dykhoff (Fr., RHP/1B, Wadena, Minn.) also made his Golden Eagle debut. He gave up one hit on the night, which proved to be the game-winning hit. 

Stephens picked up the win in relief for the Sharks, going one inning. He allowed one run on two hits.

Minnesota Crookston was led in the second game by Danny Wensloff (Jr., C/OF, Roseau, Minn.), who went 3-of-5 with one RBI and a run scored. Goelz was 2-of-4, with two RBIs and a run scored. Goodwin was 2-of-5, with two RBIs and a run scored. He had the lone home run of the game for UMN Crookston. Sawyer Satrom (Fr., IF, Portland, N.D.) went 2-of-5, with a run scored. 

The Sharks picked up the first run in game two in the bottom of the first when Smith singled in Kashimoto to make it 1-0.

The Golden Eagles knotted the score up in the top of the second when Mike Hallquist (Jr., 3B, Fargo, N.D.) singled to left field, plating Goelz.

Minnesota Crookston took the 3-1 advantage in the top of the third when Goelz doubled, driving in Wensloff and Hjelle.

UMN Crookston extended their lead to 4-1 in the top of the fourth as Goodwin drove one over the left center fence. The Golden Eagles added a fifth tally when Wensloff laced a single to score Paxton Nelson (R-Sr., IF, Spicer, Minn.) to take the advantage 5-1.

The Sharks got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Daniel Johnson doubled down the line, driving in Travis Johnson.to trim Minnesota Crookston's lead to 5-2.

Minnesota Crookston had Giefer and Hallquist reach on walks to open the fifth inning. Giefer came in to score when Goodwin grounded into a double play, putting the Golden Eagles ahead 6-2. Headlee scored later in the stanza on a failed pickoff attempt as the Golden Eagles left the top of the fifth with a 7-2 advantage. 

The Sharks looked to rally in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Stephens doubled down the line. Stephens moved to third on a Daniel Johnson infield single. Jio reached on an infield single to bring home Stephens to cut the deficit to 7-3. Hawai'i Pacific loaded up the bases when Kashimoto singled to center field. The Sharks came through as Smith doubled to left center, emptying the base path to cut the Golden Eagle lead to 7-6. Hawai'i Pacific knotted the game up 7-7 with a Suzuki double to drive in Smith. Sorenson struck out Travis Johnson to get out of any further trouble.

Ryan Inouye came on and retired Minnesota Crookston in order, including two strikeouts, in the top of the seventh.

Stephens roped a double off the fence for the Sharks to give the Sharks a runner in the bottom of the seventh with one out. Sorenson got the second out of the stanza, but not without Stephens moving over to third. Sorenson struck out pinch-hitter Hata to keep the score at 7-7 and send the game into extra innings.

Nelson opened the top of the eighth by reaching on a walk for the Golden Eagles. Nelson moved over to second on a stolen base, but the Golden Eagles weren't able to get him home.

Derin Gaudette (So., RHP, New York Mills, Minn.) came on and mowed down the Sharks in the bottom of the eighth to keep the game tied up 7-7.

Minnesota Crookston broke the tie in the top of the ninth when Goodwin doubled down the line, bringing around Hallquist to make it 8-7. 

Gaudette ran into some control issues in the bottom of the ninth, as he walked three and hit another with a pitch. The game-tying run came across when Freddy Peralez scored on a wild pitch. Josh Dykhoff came on to try to get the Golden Eagles out of the inning. However, Hata had other plans as he singled to left field to score Stephens as the Sharks walked off with the win.

Minnesota Crookston will look to even up the series with a doubleheader Sunday, February 12 against Hawai'i Pacific in Waipahu, Hawai'i. The games start at 6 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. C.T.