LEESBURG, Fla. – The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team ended their trip to the Sunshine State on a four-game win streak as they picked up victories over the University of New Haven and Saint Michael's College Tuesday, March 14.
The Golden Eagles improved to 11-13 as they wrapped up non-conference play Tuesday. New Haven has an 0-8 mark. Saint Michael's dropped to 3-7 following the loss. UMN Crookston went 5-3 at The Spring Games in Florida. Tuesday's games were played at the Sleepy Hollow Complex in Leesburg, Fla.
Game One
Minnesota Crookston picked up a 6-0 shutout win over the Chargers in the first game of the doubleheader.
Thayda Houser (Jr., RHP, Seymour, Iowa) pitched a complete game, striking out seven and walking none. Houser allowed just three hits.
The Golden Eagles notched seven hits in the game.
Paige Shwaluk (Jr., IF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) went 2-of-3, with two runs scored.
Whitnee Curry (So., IF, Lincoln, Neb.) went 2-of-4, with two RBIs.
Alina Avalos (Sr., IF, Riverside, Calif.) went 1-of-4, with two RBIs.
Selena Aponte picked up the loss for New Haven. She allowed three earned runs, on seven hits in seven innings. Aponte struck out three, and walked two.
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the first when Shwaluk scored on an Avalos groundout.
UMN Crookston extended their lead to 2-0 in the third when Charlotte Dombroski (Fr., P/OF, Valparaiso, Ind.) reached on a fielder's choice, plating
Gabriella Blomdahl (Sr., OF, Duluth, Minn.).
The Golden Eagles added two runs in the fifth. Avalos singled to center field, driving in
Paige Shwaluk. Curry then delivered a single, plating pinch-runner
Ruth Freiberg (Fr., OF, Hopkins, Minn.).
UMN Crookston added two runs in the seventh. Avalos reached on an error, while
Paige Shwaluk crossed the dish. Later in the frame, Curry hit an infield single, driving in Dombrowski.
Houser shut down the Chargers in the bottom of the seventh to pick up the 6-0 win.
Game Two
The Golden Eagles picked up an 8-4 victory over Saint Michael's College. UMN Crookston pushed out to a 4-1 advantage and were able to pick up the victory.
Alexa Guilford (Fr., LHP, Crystal City, Manitoba) picked up the win in relief. She went 1.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Guilford struck out one.
Evie Stuck (So., RHP, Papillion, Neb.) picked up the save, tossing 2.2 innings. Stuck allowed one unearned run on one hit. Stuck struck out three and had no walks. Dombrowski started the game and went three innings. She allowed one run, on three hits. Dombrowski struck out two and walked five.
Saint Michael's had four errors in Tuesday's game.
The Golden Eagles finished with nine hits. Avalos went 2-of-3, with two RBIs.
Dana Zarn (Sr., 3B, Winnipeg, Manitoba) went 2-of-3, with two runs scored.
Shaelyn Grant (Jr., C/OF, Grand Junction, Colo.) finished 1-of-1, with one run and two RBIs.
Reagan Emerick (Jr., IF, Macomb, Ill.) finished 2-of-2 with one run scored.
UMN Crookston got out to a 1-0 advantage when Dombrowski reached on an error and
Paige Shwaluk crossed the plate. Later in the inning,
Kate Garcia (Fr., OF, Sylmar, Calif.) reached on a throwing error, allowing Zarn to come in to push the lead to 2-0.
The Purple Knights trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the second when Haley Waghorn's sacrifice fly plated Jenna Devens.
UMN Crookston extended their lead to 4-1 when Avalos doubled through the left side, plating Blomdahl, and
Haley Koch (So., C, Mondamin, Iowa).
Saint Michael's trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the fifth. Devens opened it up with a double, plating Meghan Connor. Angelica Johns then singled to left field, plating Devens.
Minnesota Crookston held off the Purple Knights in the fifth. Grant singled up the middle, scoring Zarn, and Freiberg. The Golden Eagles pushed their lead to 7-3 in the fifth when
Maddie Shwaluk (Jr., OF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) used a sacrifice fly to drive in Emerick. To cap off the inning
Brittney Mengel (So., OF, Sullivan, wis.) reached on a fielder's choice plating Grant.
Saint Michael's got a run back in the seventh when Hannarh Arruda doubled, driving in Kiera Parker. Stuck was able to shut the door the rest of the way to preserve the 8-4 win.
The Golden Eagles open NSIC play Tuesday, March 28 against Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn.
