Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Sioux Center, Iowa – Minnesota Crookston opened up their season in a wild and dramatic fashion, falling to Mount Marty University in game one, 6-4 and then scoring six in the bottom of the seventh and eventually walking off the Lancers in game two, 7-6.
 
Minnesota Crookston opens up the season 1-1.
 
Game One
The Lancers would strike first in game number one, scoring on a triple in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 lead.
 
It wouldn't take long for the maroon and gold to answer. Haley Koch (Jr., C, Mondamin, Iowa) would plate the first run of the season with an RBI single, scoring Reagan Emerick (R-Jr., MIF, Macomb, Ill.).
 
The Golden Eagles would score three more runs, highlighted by a pair of doubles from Sophie Juntunen (So., 1B/OF, St. Michael, Minn.) and Ruth Freiberg (So., OF, Hopkins, Minn.). Paige Shwaluk (Sr., MIF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) would reach on a fielder's choice, scoring Frieberg.
 
Unfortunately for the Golden Eagles, that would be the only offense for the maroon and gold.
 
Mount Marty would tie things up in the fourth with a three run inning and then take a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth with another pair of runs.
 
The Golden Eagles would leave runners on base in the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn't plate a run across, falling in the opening game of the season by a pair of runs.
 
In her first career start, Frieberg went 3-3 with an RBI. Whitnee Curry (Jr., MIF/OF, Lincoln, Neb.) and Rayna French (Fr., C, La Salle, Manitoba), in her first start as well, both had two hits. Juntenen also had a pair of hits and an RBI. As a team, the Golden Eagles finished with 13 hits on the night, including three extra base hits.
 
Thayda Houser (Sr., P, Seymour, Iowa) picked up the loss on the night, going 4.1 innings, giving up six runs, all earned, on six hits, while striking out four. Evie Stuck (Jr., P, Papillion, Neb.) went 1.2 innings and gave up just one hit.
 
Game Two
Once again, the Lancers would get off to a really fast starting, scoring the games' first five runs, including four runs in the second inning.
 
Shaelyn Grant (Sr., C/OF, Grand Junction, Colo.) got the Golden Eagles on the board with her first home run of the season, making it a 5-1 game.
 
The score would stay 5-1 until the bottom of the sixth inning, when the Golden Eagles would score a pair of runs with a French single and a Juntenen sacrifice fly.
 
MMU would add some insurance in the top of the seventh, taking a 6-3 lead and needing just three outs to sweep the Golden Eagles.
 
The Golden Eagles would have the bases loaded with no one out in the top of the seventh, but a French sacrifice fly would score Brittney Mengel (Jr., OF, Sullivan, Wis.), but turn into a double play with a tag at third.
 
Down to their last out, Curry would single in Shwaluk and Grant would rope a double to left, scoring Curry, tying the game at six.
 
The Lancers would start the top of the eighth with a runner on second, but she wouldn't touch third and the Golden Eagles would have a chance to win it in the bottom half.
 
Juntenen would bunt on the first pitch and the throw from the pitcher to first would go into right field, scoring Emerick for a walk off win.
 
Grant would lead the way with a 3-4 night, driving in a pair of runs. French finished with a pair of hits, finishing with four on the day, while also driving in two runs and scoring a run. Shwaluk finished with a hit and a pair of runs scored.
 
Gracelynn Kelly (So., P, Black Hawk, S.D.) earned the start, giving up five runs on 1.1 innings of work, while striking out a hitter. Alexa Guilford (So., P, Crystal City, Manitoba) went 2.2 innings of work and didn't give up a run on five hits. Charlotte Dombrowski (So., P/OF, Valparaiso, Ind.) earned the win, giving up just one run in four innings of work.
 
What's Next
The Golden Eagles will look to finish the weekend in Iowa strong tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader against Dakota Wesleyan. First pitch is set for 2 P.M.