Springfield, Mo. – Minnesota Crookston wrapped-up their five game trip at the Drury Classic with a split on Sunday afternoon with a win against Northeastern State and a loss to Cottey College to close out the trip to Springfield, Mo.
Minnesota Crookston moves to 6-10 on the season with the split.
Game One
The Riverhawks would jump out to a solid start. NSU would score the first run of the game on a groundout in the bottom of the first inning.
The score would read 1-0 until the top of the fourth inning, when the Golden Eagles would put up a crooked number.
Dana Zarn (Sr., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba) would hit her third home run of the season, this time a two-run shot, scoring
Alina Avalos (Sr., IF, Riverside, Calif.) for a 2-1 lead.
Later in the inning,
Gabriella Blomdahl (Sr., OF, Duluth, Minn.) would drive in a run on an RBI single to double the Golden Eagle lead.
In the fifth, the Golden Eagles would add on.
Maddie Shwaluk (Jr., OF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) would fly out to center field, but it scored
Charlotte Dombrowski (Fr., P/OF, Valparaiso, Ind.), to bring the lead up to three.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Riverhawks would explode for three runs, tying the game at four.
In the seventh, neither team would score, so the Golden Eagles would head to extra-innings for the second time this season.
In the eighth,
Paige Shwaluk (Jr., MIF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) would come up clutch, singling to left field, driving in Blomdahl for the 5-4 lead.
The Golden Eagles would walk the first hitter in the bottom of the eighth, but would get three straight outs for the 6-4 victory.
Minnesota Crookston finished the game with 13 hits, led by Dombrowski's three hits. The freshman did it all, going 3-5 at the plate and earning the win in the circle.
Paige Shwaluk collected two hits, as did Zarn,
Whitnee Curry (So., MIF/OF, Lincoln, Neb.) and
Shaelyn Grant (Jr., OF/C, Grand Junction, Colo.). The Golden Eagles left nine runners on base, but struck out just twice.
In the circle,
Evie Stuck (So., P/OF, Papillion, Neb.) got the start and went 3.1 innings, giving up just one unearned run on five hits.
Gracelynn Kelly (Fr., P, Black Hawk, S.D.) and
Thayda Houser (Jr., P, Seymour, Iowa) were also called upon for relief. Kelly got the win and Houser the save.
Game Two
The second game would see a lot less offense than the opening game on Sunday for the Golden Eagles.
Cottey College and the Golden Eagles would be scoreless until the sixth inning, but they would score three runs in the top of the sixth and two more in the seventh for the 5-0 win over the Golden Eagles.
Minnesota Crookston had four hits. Zarn, Grant, Curry and
Brittney Mengel (So., OF, Sullivan, Wis.) were the lone Golden Eagles to collect a hit, which left five runners on base.
Kelly was outstanding in the circle, going a career-high 5.2 innings, while striking out six, also a career best.
What's Next
Minnesota Crookston will take the long trek home to Crookston, but then turn around for games in the sunshine state this weekend. Minnesota Crookston will take on Saint Thomas Aquinas College on Friday at 8 A.M.
