Melbourne, Fla. – Minnesota Crookston was handed their first loss in the Sunshine State on Tuesday night to Florida Tech, who used a five-run fourth inning to upend the Golden Eagles, 11-5.
 
The Golden Eagles, who had won four in a row, falls to an even 6-6 on the season.
 
Alec Eldridge would get the Panthers on the board early, doubling down the right field line, scoring Austin Sewell.
 
Trailing 1-0, Minnesota Crookston would use small ball in the top of the second. Mitch Goodwin (Jr., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) would start the two out rally with a walk. He would later come around to score on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Caden Headlee (Jr., OF, Fargo, N.D.) to tie the game at one.
 
FTU would break the game open with a two out rally of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Brett Parrish would triple down the right field line with the bases juiced, emptying the bases for a 4-1 lead. One batter later, Cole Patrick would deposit one in the seats for a five-run inning and a 6-1 lead.
 
The Panthers would score the next five runs following that inning to take a 10 run lead at 11-1.
 
Minnesota Crookston would try to mount a final inning rally. Matt Nunn (Sr., C, Edina, Minn.) would single in Zeke Hass (Sr., OF, Eaton, Colo.) to start a rally.
 
Later on in the inning, Mike Hallquist (Jr., 3B, Fargo, N.D.) would double, scoring Nunn. The Golden Eagles would score two more runs, but it would be too little, too late in the 11-5 loss.
 
Minnesota Crookston would finish with six hits, led by Hallquist's 2-4 day at the plate. It's Hallquist's seventh multi-hit performance of the season. Nunn, Hass, Jake Hjelle (R-Jr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) and Danny Wensloff (Jr., OF/C, Roseau, Minn.) each collected one hit, as well. The maroon and gold left 10 runners on base.
 
On the bump, Matt Nelson (R-Sr., RHP, Afton, Minn.) went four innings, giving up six runs, all earned on seven hits, while striking out three. Isaac Wensloff (Fr., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) came in for relief of Nelson and went a third of an inning, giving up three earned runs. Jakob Wiirre (Sr., RHP, Mims, Fla.), Joey Connelly (Fr., LHP, Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Max Weber (So., RHP, St. Paul, Minn.) all came in for relief and pitched well.
 
The maroon and gold will have an off day tomorrow and then get back on the diamond on Thursday morning against Saginaw Valley State. First pitch with SVSU is set for 8:15 A.M.