CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team wraps up the 2023 regular season Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 against Southwest Minnesota State University. The Golden Eagles and Mustangs will play Friday at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. at Legion Field in Marshall, Minn., and Saturday at 12 p.m.

Minnesota Crookston enters the weekend with a 33-18 (23-10 NSIC) record. The Golden Eagles set program records for wins in a season, and conference victories in a campaign. Minnesota Crookston is currently fourth in the NSIC standings. Minnesota Crookston needs to win at least one game to hold off Southwest Minnesota State from jumping the Golden Eagles for the No. 4 seed. If the Golden Eagles sweep the series, they can jump to the No. 3 seed if St. Cloud State loses a game to Wayne State College. Minnesota Crookston can take the No. 2 seed if they sweep, and Minnesota State University loses two games to Concordia University St. Paul. The Golden Eagles can not slip past the No. 5 seed. 

Southwest Minnesota State comes into the weekend with a 27-12 (19-10 NSIC) record. They have won their last six games. The Mustangs have posted their best season since 2014, when they also achieved 27 wins. Head Coach Paul Blanchard, who has been leading the Mustangs for 27 seasons, announced his retirement at the end of the season. Southwest Minnesota State has taken three of the last four games in the series.

Minnesota Crookston at Southwest Minnesota State
Friday, May 5 - 1:30/3:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 6 - 12 p.m.
Legion Field, Marshall, Minn.
Live Stats - TeamA 0 TeamB 0 Top 1 0 Outs (smsumustangs.com)
Video - Southwest Minnesota State University on the NSIC Network

Minnesota Crookston
Projected Line-Up
C 14 Matt Nunn, .228, 14 R, 6 2B, 1 3B, 17 RBI
1B 18 Teddy Giefer, .262, 24 R, 9 2B, 5 HR, 18 RBI
2B 34 Sawyer Satrom, .265, 25 R, 5 2B, 2 3B, 20 RBI
3B 13 Mike Hallquist, .396, 60 R, 17 2B, 4 3B, 17 HR, 56 RBI
SS 10 Mitch Goodwin, .245, 34 R, 10 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 28 RBI
LF/RF 8 Jake Hjelle, .389, 46 R, 15 2B, 4 3B, 18 HR, 65 RBI
Or LF 4 Zeke Hass, .344, 8 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI
CF 9 Caden Headlee, .350, 34 R, 9 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 32 RBI
RF/C 19 Danny Wensloff, .285, 39 R, 6 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 18 RBI
DH 32 Josh Dykhoff, .331, 47 R, 13 2B, 13 HR, 42 RBI

Top Pitchers
LHP 3 Alex Koep, 6-1 2.60 ERA, 52.0 IP, 70 K, 28 BB
RHP 24 Jake Osowski, 6-1 3.92 ERA, 69.1 IP, 90 K, 18 BB
RHP 33 Jake Dykhoff, 7-4 4.28 ERA, 69.1 IP, 90 K, 18 BB
RHP 7 Brody Sorenson, 4-2 1.83 ERA, 39.1 IP, 28 K, 9 BB
RHP 27 Jakob Wiirre, 0-1 4.15 ERA, 13.0 IP, 6 K, 8 BB
RHP 28 Matt Nelson, 3-2 6.55 ERA, 44.0 IP, 38 K, 10 BB

The Golden Eagles come into the weekend hitting .312 as a team. They are guided by Mike Hallquist (Jr., 3B, Fargo, N.D.), who leads the team hitting .396, with 60 runs scored. He has 17 home runs, and 56 RBIs. Jake Hjelle (R-Jr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) leads the NSIC with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs. He is batting .389. Josh Dykhoff (Fr., RHP/1B, Wadena, Minn.) has made an instant impact as a freshman, swinging .331, with 47 runs scored, 13 home runs, and 42 RBIs. Caden Headlee (Jr., OF, Fargo, N.D.) comes in batting .350, with 34 runs scored, four home runs, and 32 RBIs. 

On the mound, left Alex Koep (Sr., Parkers Prairie, Minn.) is 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA in 52 innings pitched. Jake Dykhoff (R-Sr., RHP, Wadena, Minn.) is 7-4 with a 4.28 ERA, with 90 strikeouts and just 18 walks. Jake Osowski (R-Jr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) is 6-1 with a 3.92 ERA. Out of the bullpen, Brody Sorenson (Jr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) is 4-2 with a 1.83 ERA in 39.1 innings pitched.

Southwest Minnesota State
Projected Line-Up
C 3 Caleb Gardow, .273, 10 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 13 RBI
Or C 23 Brady Petron, .229, 5 R, 3 2B, 8 RBI
1B 31 Jaxon Haase, .364, 43 R, 9 2B, 10 HR, 35 RBI
2B 4 Matt Seykora, .176, 6 R, 2 2B, 5 RBI
Or 2B 2 Keenan Wenzel, .384, 16 R, 8 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 24 RBI
3B 34 Max Kalenberg, .305, 38 R, 9 2B, 4 HR, 34 RBI
SS 12 Chase McDaniel, .390, 48 R, 10 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 28 RBI
LF 8 Peyton Nash, .311, 20 R, 7 2B, 25 RBI
CF 13 Owen Latendresse, .340, 34 R, 4 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR, 38 RBI
RF 7 Jake Tauer, .273, 15 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 18 RBI
DH 1 Isaac Nett, .336, 37 R, 6 2B, 6 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 36 RBI

Top Pitchers

RHP 17 Ansen Dulas, 3-1 2.89 ERA, 46.2 IP, 32 K, 7 BB
RHP 37 Kolby Kiser, 4-1 3.22 ERA, 44.2 IP, 65 K, 13 BB
LHP 6 Ryan Chmielewski, 4-1 3.66 ERA, 46.2 IP, 48 K, 21 BB
RHP 35 Brady Brosz, 2-1 3.55 ERA, 12.2 IP, 4 SV, 14 K, 6 BB
RHP 30 Logan McCray, 1-1 4.80 ERA, 15.0 IP, 9 K, 14 BB
LHP 26 Carter Petron, 3-2 5.97 ERA, 34.2 IP, 22 K, 14 BB

Southwest Minnesota State is hitting .319 as a team. Chase McDaniel leads the way with a .390 average, 48 runs scored, 10 doubles, seven home runs, and 28 RBIs. Jaxon Haase is swinging .364, with 43 runs scored, 10 home runs, and 35 RBIs. Owen Latendresse is batting .340, with 34 runs scored, three home runs, and 38 RBIs.

On the bump, the Mustangs hold a 5.30 ERA. Ansen Dulas is 3-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 46.2 innings pitched, while Kolby Kiser is 4-1 with a 3.22 ERa in 44.2 innings pitched. Lefty Ryan Chmielewski is 4-1 with a 3.66 ERA in 45.2 innings pitched. Out of the bullpen, Brady Brosz leads the way with four saves and a 3.55 ERA.