Crookston, Minn. – A windy, blustery and cold day on Sunday resulted in the home opener for Golden Eagle softball. Minnesota Crookston hosted Minnesota State for an NSIC doubleheader.
In game one, Minnesota Crookston fell behind 10-0 and were on the verge of getting run-ruled, but scored eight runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, good for 16 unanswered runs to shock the Mavericks, 16-13. The Mavs would return the favor with a 7-0 win in game two.
Minnesota Crookston moves to 14-23 (2-10 NSIC).
Game One
Historically, the Mavericks have had the upper-hand in the series, having never lost to the Golden Eagles up until Sunday.
MSU would start fast, scoring six runs in the first inning off
Gracelynn Kelly (Fr., P, Black Hawk, S.D.), including a pair of home runs.
The Mavericks would score one in the second and three more in the fifth inning for a 10-0 lead.
That is when the big bats of the Golden Eagles would come alive. The Golden Eagles would get the first three runners aboard and would get on the board with a
Paige Shwaluk (Jr., MIF, Portage la Prairie, Minn.) RBI single.
Brittney Mengel (So., OF, Sullivan, Wis.) would come through with a pinch-hit RBI single to cut the lead to 10-2.
Alina Avalos (Sr., IF, Riverside, Calif.) would continue her outstanding season, driving in a pair with a two-RBI single. The big hit would come the way of
Maddie Shwaluk (Jr., OF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba), who would hit her first career grand slam to cut the Mavericks lead to 10-8.
Minnesota Crookston would hold the Mavericks bat silent in the sixth inning. That would start the path to another eight run inning. Mengel would once again deliver a big hit, this time a two-run double to tie the game at 10.
Freshman
Sophie Juntunen (Fr., 1B/OF, St. Michael, Minn.) would give the Golden Eagles the lead for good on a fielder's choice, scoring Mengel.
Whitnee Curry (So., MIF/OF, Lincoln, Neb.) and
Dana Zarn (Sr., UT, Winnipeg, Manitoba) would stretch the Golden Eagle lead even more, with a two-run home run and a solo shot, respectively.
Paige Shwaluk would cap off the second eight run inning with a two-run double, giving the maroon and gold a 16-10 lead.
In the seventh inning, the Mavericks would score three runs, but it wouldn't be enough.
The victory for the Golden Eagles was the first over the Mavericks in program history.
Minnesota Crookston collected 13 hits in the game, tied for the third most as a team this season. Four different Golden Eagles had two or more hits in the game, led by
Paige Shwaluk, who went 3-5 with three runs knocked in. The three hits and three runs knocked in were a career high for the Manitoba native.
Maddie Shwaluk finished with a career-high four RBI, while Avalos and Mengel each finished with a pair of hits.
Kelly earned the start in the circle and went 4.0 innings, while giving up nine runs, all earned on seven hits.
Jenna Parfeniuk (R-Jr., 1B/P, Winnipeg, Manitoba) earned the win, while
Thayda Houser (Jr., P, Seymour, Iowa) earned her second save of the season.
Game Two
In game two, the Mavs would use the long ball to propel them to the 7-0 win.
Ava Smithson would start the scoring for MSU with a two-run home run in the second, while Madi Newman would homer in the third and Smithson would go yard again for a 4-0 lead in the fourth.
MSU would add three more insurance runs in the seventh inning for the 7-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles would finish with two hits, both off the bat of Curry.
Evie Stuck (So., P/OF, Papillion, Neb.) would pitch well, giving up four runs, three earned on eight hits in six innings of work.
What's Next
Minnesota Crookston is scheduled for another doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at home against Minot State. First pitch against the Beavers is set for 12 P.M.
