MANDAN, N.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team fell 5-3 to Minnesota State University Thursday, May 11 at Veterans Memorial Ballpark in Mandan, N.D. The Mavericks scored five runs in the sixth and seventh to topple an early 2-0 advantage for the Golden Eagles, as the Mavericks picked up the win.

Minnesota Crookston dropped to 37-19, while Minnesota State improved to 37-13 with the victory. The two teams are 2-2 in the series this season. 

Alex Koep (Sr., LHP, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) had a strong game in the start, tossing six innings, and allowing just one run on three hits. Koep, the NSIC Pitcher of the Year, struck out two, and walked two. Brody Sorenson (Jr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) suffered the loss in relief, allowing four runs on four hits. Jakob Wiirre (Sr., RHP, Mims, Fla.) pitched a scoreless eighth.

Jake Hjelle (R-Jr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) returned from illness to hit two home runs. He went 2-of-4, with two RBIs, and two runs scored. Sawyer Satrom (R-Fr., IF, Portland, Neb.) went 2-of-4. Mitch Goodwin (Jr., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) was 1-of-4. Kobe Senn (R-Fr., IF, Fargo, N.D.) was 1-of-4, with an RBI.

Dylan Gotto got the win after pitching a complete game. He allowed two earned run on eight hits. Gotto struck out nine and had no walks.

Gotto retired UMN Crookston in order in the top of the first. The Mavericks put a runner on as Jackson Hauge was hit by a pitch, but Ryan Wickman lined to Mike Hallquist (Jr., 3B, Fargo, N.D.) who made a nice play at third base to get the Golden Eagles out of the inning.

Minnesota Crookston got Headlee on base with a single in the top of the second. Headlee moved to second on a wild pitch, but Gotto got out of the inning with his fifth strikeout of the game to keep the game knotted up 0-0. 

Senn looked to put a ball into the turf in left field but Aidan Byrne made a tremendous leaping grab to keep the Golden Eagle freshman off the base path. With two outs, Danny Wensloff (Jr., OF/C, Roseau, Minn.) was hit by a pitch to keep UMN Crookston alive in the top of the third. However, Minnesota State got out of the inning with a fielder's choice as the score remained 0-0.

Koep retired the Mavericks in order in the bottom of the third as he kept working through the Minnesota State lineup. Hjelle broke the scoreless tie with his 23rd home run of the season to give the Golden Eagles the 1-0 advantage. The Golden Eagle junior had missed the previous game due to illness. Gotto put two more runners on as Headlee reached on an error, and Ben Goelz was hit by a pitch. The Golden Eagles looked to get a run on a Satrom single, but Caden Headlee was thrown out at home on a great throw from Hunter Ranweiler. Minnesota Crookston did come through in the next at-bat as Kobe Seen singled to drive in Ben Goelz to widen the Golden Eagle lead to 2-0.Gotto got out of the inning with a strikeout but not before Minnesota Crookston took the 2-0 lead.

The Mavericks looked to get a runner on in the bottom of the fourth with a Mikey Gottschalk single, but the call was overturned as Koep got his foot in before Gottschalk reached the base. 

Minnesota Crookston looked to make the two-out rally in the top of the fifth as Josh Dykhoff reached with a single, but Gotto obtained his eighth strikeout of the game to keep the game at 2-0 in favor of the Golden Eagles.

Minnesota State looked to get their first hit of the game as Louis Magers put one into center field but Headlee made a diving grab for the first out of the bottom of the fifth. Nick Baker reached on a walk to keep the inning alive for the Mavericks. Adam Schneider ended the no-hitter for Koep with a single to put two on, with one out. Koep struck out Ranweiler and got a pop out to first to prevent Minnesota State from jumping on to the score tally. 

Satrom picked up his fifth hit of the tournament to try to ignite a two-out rally in the top of the sixth. Gotto struck out Senn for his ninth strikeout to keep the tally at 2-0.

Minnesota State got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth with a Gottschalk single to drive in Aidan Byrne to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Golden Eagles looked to rally starting with a Goodwin single, however Wensloff grounded into a double play on an attempted sacrifice bunt as the score remained at 2-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Sorenson, an All-NSIC Second Team pick, came on in the bottom of the seventh to attempt to get Minnesota Crookston out of the game. Baker led off the inning with an infield single to help start a rally for the Mavericks. Ranweiler reached on a bunt single and Baker moved to third on an error to give Minnesota State runners on the corners with one out. Matthew Fleischhaker hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score pinch-runner Cole Ranweiler to tie the game 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh. Sorenson walked Byrne to give the Mavericks two on with two out. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Hauge delivered a two RBI single, scoring Byrne and Hunter Ranweiler to give Minnesota State a 4-2 advantage in the bottom of the seventh. Ryan Wickman kept the inning alive with a single for the Mavericks. Hauge scored on a double steal as Wensloff threw to second. Hjelle made the final out of the inning but not before Minnesota State took a 5-2 lead.

Hjelle helped trim the deficit to 5-3 for the Golden Eagles with his 24th home run of the second and his second of the day. Minnesota Crookston would be retired from there but not without making a dent in the lead.

Jakob Wiirre came on in the bottom of the eighth to try to keep the Mavericks at bay. Wiirre got the Golden Eagles out without a dent as the score remained 5-3 in favor of Minnesota State. 

Hauge made a sliding catch on a hard hit ball from Satrom to get the first out of the top of the ninth. Goodwin reached on an error by the pitcher to give Minnesota Crookston a chance with two outs. The Mavericks got the final out on a Wensloff groundout to preserve the 5-3 win. 

Minnesota Crookston plays Wayne State College in an elimination game at 6:15 p.m.