CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team is set for a crucial three-game home series against Minnesota State University Saturday, April 29 at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 30 at 12 p.m. The game will mark the final home games for UMN Crookston's 14 seniors.

The Golden Eagles will wrap up an eight-game home stand. Minnesota Crookston is 4-1 through the first five games. The Golden Eagles enter the weekend with a 30-16 (20-8 NSIC) mark. Minnesota Crookston has eclipsed 30 wins for the first time in program history. In addition, the Golden Eagles are one win away from setting the school-record for conference wins in a season. They are currently tied with the 2019 team with 20.

Minnesota Crookston is currently third in the NSIC standings. They will match-up with second-place Minnesota State as the Golden Eagles continue to fight for seeding in the NSIC Tournament. Minnesota Crookston needs four wins in their last eight to clinch a spot in the 2023 NSIC Tournament, without any other scenarios working in their favor. This weekend will mark the first time the Golden Eagles and Mavericks have met in Crookston since April 26, 2011. Minnesota State is 18-1 against Minnesota Crookston since 2011. The lone UMN Crookston win came on March 26, 2019 in Mankato. The two schools have played games in Mankato, Sioux Falls, S.D., St. Cloud, Minn., and Minneapolis, Minn., during the 12-year stint since they last met in Crookston. Minnesota State played Bemidji State in a neutral-site series in Crookston, April 16, 2018.

Minnesota State at Minnesota Crookston
Saturday, April 29 – 1:30/3:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 30 – 12 p.m.
UMN Crookston Baseball Field, Crookston, Minn.
Live Stats - MINOT 13 UMC 3 Final (goldeneaglesports.com)
Video - University of Minnesota Crookston on the NSIC Network

Minnesota Crookston
Projected Line-Up
C 14 Matt Nunn, .214, 14 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 14 RBI
1B 18 Teddy Giefer, .258, 21 R, 7 2B, 5 HR, 17 RBI
2B 34 Sawyer Satrom, .254, 20 R, 5 2B, 2 3B, 20 RBI
3B 13 Mike Hallquist, .404, 55 R, 15 2B, 3 3B, 16 HR, 52 RBI
SS 10 Mitch Goodwin, .239, 32 R, 10 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 25 RBI
LF 8 Jake Hjelle, .374, 41 R, 13 2B, 3 3B, 15 HR, 55 RBI
CF 9 Caden Headlee, .352, 32 R, 8 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 30 RBI
RF 19 Danny Wensloff, .286, 33 R, 5 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 18 RBI
DH 32 Josh Dykhoff, .326, 43 R, 10 2B, 11 HR, 37 RBI

Top Pitchers
LHP 3 Alex Koep, 6-1 2.52 ERA, 50.0 IP, 65 K, 28 BB
RHP 24 Jake Osowski, 6-1 3.12 ERA, 57.2 IP, 59 K, 15 BB
RHP 33 Jake Dykhoff, 6-4 3.92 ERA, 64.1 IP, 82 K, 15 BB
RHP 7 Brody Sorenson, 4-1 1.73 ERA, 36.1 IP, 27 K, 7 BB
RHP 28 Matt Nelson, 3-2 5.85 ERA, 40.0 IP, 34 K, 10 BB
RHP 17 Conner Richardson, 2-3 6.65 ERA, 21.2 IP, 3 SV, 21 K, 10 BB

The Golden Eagles are 5-1 in last six games. Minnesota Crookston is hitting .307 as a team, with 359 runs scored, 98 doubles, 15 triples, 67 home runs, and 315 RBIs. They are two home runs from setting the school-record for home runs in a season, previously set by the 2021 squad. The Golden Eagles lead the NSIC in runs scored this season, and they are tied for the lead for RBIs. Mike Hallquist (Jr., 3B, Fargo, N.D.) leads the NSIC in OPS, home runs, and slugging percentage. Jake Hjelle (R-Jr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) leads the NSIC in RBIs with 55. He is batting .374, with 15 home runs. Caden Headlee (Jr., OF, Fargo, N.D.) is batting .352, with 32 runs scored, four home runs, and 30 RBIs. Josh Dykhoff (Fr., RHP/1B, Wadena, Minn.) has made an instant impact as a freshman, batting .326, with 43 runs scored, 10 doubles, 11 home runs, and 37 RBIs.

On the bump, Minnesota Crookston has a 4.40 ERA. Alex Koep (Sr., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) is 6-1 with a 2.52 ERA in 50 innings pitched. He has struck out 65 and walked 28. Jake Osowski (R-Jr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) comes in with a 6-1 mark and a 3.12 ERA in 57.2 innings. Jake Dykhoff (R-Sr., RHP, Wadena, Minn.) is a three-time NSIC Pitcher of the Week, he has also been named NCBWA Central Region Pitcher of the Week, and NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week. He is 6-4 with a 3.92 ERA in 64.1 innings pitched, with 82 strikeouts and 15 walks. Brody Sorenson (Jr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) leads the Golden Eagles in the bullpen. He has a 1.73 ERA in 14 appearances.

Minnesota State
Projected Line-Up
C/DH 5 Zach Stroh, .284, 17 R, 2 2B, 6 RBI
or C 15 Nick Baker, .260, 14 R, 5 2B, 1 HR, 9 RBI
1B 16 Adam Schneider, .269, 22 R, 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 17 RBI
2B 1 Matthew Fleischhacker, .326, 29 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 19 RBI
3B 3 Mikey Gottschalk, .280, 23 R, 9 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 25 RBI
SS 11 Aidan Byrne, .338, 38 R, 9 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 37 RBI
LF 6 Hunter Ranweiler, .286, 20 R, 3 2B, 10 RBI
CF 25 Ryan Wickman, .317, 37 R, 4 2B, 5 HR, 23 RBI
RF 40 Jackson Hauge, .315, 30 R, 6 2B, 6 3B, 7 HR, 43 RBI
DH 24 Brock Johnson, .262, 25 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 15 RBI

Top Pitchers
LHP 4 Nathan Culley, 6-3 2.88 ERA, 56.1 IP, 75 K, 17 BB
LHP 23 Dylan Gotto, 7-1 4.72 ERA, 61.0 IP, 54 K, 8 BB
RHP 21 Chandler Fochs, 5-1 4.94 ERA, 47.1 IP, 42 K, 12 BB
RHP 14 Louis Magers, 2-0 1.29 Era, 21.0 IP, 12 K, 4 BB
LHP 38 Taisei Yahiro, 5-0 1.72 ERA, 31.1 IP, 39 K, 8 BB
RHP 12 Spencer Wright, 1-0 1.84 ERA, 14.2 IP, 1 SV, 15 K, 4 BB
RHP 32 Aiden McGee, 0-0 3.00 ERA, 18.0 IP, 3 SV, 26 K, 7 BB

The Mavericks come in hitting .291 as a team. Aidan Byrne leads the squad, hitting .338, with 38 runs scored, nine doubles, two triples, five home runs, and 37 RBIs. Matthew Fleischhacker is swinging .326, with 29 runs scored, two home runs, and 19 RBIs. Ryan Wickman comes in batting .317, with 37 runs scored, four doubles, five home runs, and 23 RBIs.

On the mound, Minnesota State has an impressive 3.79 ERA as a team. Lefty Nathan Culley leads the squad with a 2.88 ERA in 56.1 innings pitched. He has 75 strikeouts and is 6-3 on the season. Dylan Gotto comes in with a 7-1 mark and a 4.72 ERA, while Chandler Fochs is 5-1 with a 4.94 ERA.

Seniors
The Golden Eagles have 14 seniors they will honor this weekend. The senior group has been a part of one of the winningest stretches in program history. The Golden Eagles will honor the careers of Paxton Nelson, Trace Brayton, Alex Koep, Zeke Hass, Joey Greco, Matt Nunn, Conner Richardson, Ben Goelz, Jakob Wiirre, Matt Nelson, Camdin Miller, Jackson Schneider, Conner Fonger, and Jake Dykhoff. In addition, they will honor assistant coach Anthony Lupa, who graduated in the fall.