Wayne, Neb. – After falling in game one to Wayne State College, Minnesota Crookston answered back nicely with a seven run seventh inning, breaking a 7-7 tie to win game two, 14-7. The seven-run victory for the Golden Eagles set the school record for wins with 16, breaking the record which was set last season.
 
The Golden Eagles move to 16-25 (4-13 NSIC) on the season.
 
Game One
It was an outstanding start to game one for the Golden Eagles. The maroon and gold would score three runs in the opening frame, coming on a Shaelyn Grant (Jr., C/OF, Grand Junction, Colo.) RBI single and a two-run single by Reagan Emerick (R-So., MIF, Macomb, Ill.) for a 3-0 lead.
 
The Golden Eagles would eventually take a 7-1 lead in the game, capped off by a Paige Shwaluk (Jr., MIF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) RBI double, scoring Haley Koch (So., C, Mondamin, Iowa).
 
The Golden Eagles would lead 8-3, but WSC would charge back with eight straight runs, including three in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Wildcats the three-run victory in game one.
 
Paige Shwaluk led the six-hit effort for the Golden Eagles, going 2-5 in the game. Whitnee Curry (So., IF/OF, Lincoln, Neb.), Alina Avalos (Sr., IF, Riverside, Calif.), Koch and Grant each finished with a hit as well. The Golden Eagles left nine runners on base.
 
Thayda Houser (Jr., P, Seymour, Iowa) went four innings, giving up six earned runs, while striking out six in the start. Evie Stuck (So., P/OF, Papillion, Neb.) fell to 2-8, picking up the loss in relief, giving up three earned runs in two innings of work.
 
Game Two
After seeing the Wildcats come back from an eight run deficit in game one, the Golden Eagles would decide to return the favor in game two.
 
WSC would go for the sweep, scoring five runs in the first inning off of Stuck.
 
The Golden Eagles would answer in the second inning with four runs of their own, capped off by a Grant run producing double, scoring Emerick and Dana Zarn (Sr., IF, Winnipeg, Manitoba).
 
Trailing 6-4 heading into the fifth, the Golden Eagles would answer the call once again. Paige Shwaluk singled down the right field line, scoring Brittney Mengel (So., OF, Sullivan, Wis.), tying the game at six. Later in the inning, Curry would give the Golden Eagles the lead on a sacrifice fly, scoring Maddie Shwaluk (Jr., OF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) for a 7-6 lead.
 
The Wildcats would get a run back in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game back up at seven, which is how the game would stay going into the seventh inning.
 
Curry would collect the big two-out hit, singling in a pair, giving the Golden Eagles a 9-7 lead. The big hit and the dagger would come off the bat of Zarn, who would double in all three runs with the bases loaded, doubling up the Wildcats, 14-7.
 
The Golden Eagles finished with 10 hits, highlighted by two runs apiece from Paige Shwaluk, Emerick and Grant. Zarn knocked in three runs, as well.
 
Stuck struggled in the start, getting through an inning, but giving up four earned runs on five hits in the start. Gracelynn Kelly (Fr., P, Black Hawk, S.D.) earned the win, not giving up a hit in two innings, while striking out three.
 
What's Next
Minnesota Crookston will head to Augustana tomorrow afternoon for another doubleheader. First pitch against the Vikings is set for 12 P.M., from Sioux Falls.