CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team opens the 2024 season with a four-game series at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Friday, February 9-Sunday, February 11 at Mountain Lion Park in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The Golden Eagles are slated to play Friday, February 9 at 3 p.m. C.T., Saturday, February 10 at 12 p.m. C.T., and 3 p.m. C.T., and Sunday, February 11 at 12 p.m. C.T.
Minnesota Crookston at UC-Colorado Springs
Friday, February 9 - 3 p.m.
Saturday, February 10 - 12/3 p.m.
Sunday, February 11 - 12 p.m.
Live Stats - CSM 4 UAM 7 Final (gomountainlions.com)
Live Video - University of Colorado Colorado Springs on the RMAC Network
Minnesota Crookston
Top Returners
Sr. C/OF 19 Danny Wensloff, Roseau, Minn., .259, 45 R, 7 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 22 RBI
Sr. 1B 18 Teddy Giefer, Courtland, Minn., .246, 25 R, f9 2B, 5 HR, 19 RBI
R-So. IF 20 Kobe Senn, Fargo, N.D., .444, 3 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI
R-So. IF 2 Sawyer Satrom, Portland, N.D., .301, 31 R, 5 2B, 2 3B, 25 RBI
R-Sr. SS 10 Mitch Goodwin, Prior Lake, Minn., .253, 40 R, 11 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 29 RBI
R-Sr., OF/1B 8 Jake Hjelle, East Grand Forks, Minn., .401, 56 R, 16 2B, 4 3B, 24 HR, 79 RBI
R-Jr. OF 9 Caden Headlee, Fargo, N.D., .348, 37 R, 13 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 38 RBI
R-Sr., OF 23 Ben Goelz, Maple Lake, Minn., .303, 37 R, 10 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 38 RBI
So., 1B/DH 32 Josh Dykhoff, Wadena, Minn., ..335, 57 R, 15 2B, 15 HR, 53 RBI
Top Pitchers
R-Sr. RHP 24 Jake Osowski, East Grand Forks, Minn., 7-1 4.07 ERA, 73 IP, 71 K, 23 BB
So. RHP 32 Josh Dykhoff, Wadena, Minn., 3-2 6.50 ERA, 36 IP, 27 K, 9 BB
Sr. RHP 7 Brody Sorenson, Grand Forks, N.D., 4-4 2.68 ERA, 47 IP, 30 K, 10 BB
Sr. RHP 25 Nate Grafsgaard, Devils Lake, N.D., 0-0 3.12 ERA, 8.2 IP, 5 K, 4 BB
So. RHP 3 Isaac Wensloff, Roseau, Minn., 0-0 6.75 ERA, 6.2 IP, 3 K, 5 BB
Minnesota Crookston is coming off a historic 2023 season in which they went 38-20 (26-10), setting records for most overall wins and conference victories. The Golden Eagles finished the season third in the NSIC and went to their fifth NSIC Tournament in nine seasons. Minnesota Crookston swept the NSIC player awards in 2023 guided by NSIC Player of the Year Jake Hjelle (R-Sr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.), and NSIC Freshman of the Year Josh Dykhoff (So., RHP/1B, Wadena, Minn.). Hjelle was the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year, and is an NCBWA Preseason All-America pick. Hjelle hit .401 as a junior, with 56 runs scored, 16 doubles, four triples, a team-high 24 home runs, and 79 RBIs. Dykhoff hit .335, with 57 runs scored, 15 doubles, and 53 RBIs. On the bump, he was 3-2 with a 6.50 ERA in 36 innings pitched.
At the plate, the Golden Eagles return lots of experience in addition to Hjelle and Dykhoff. At catcher, Danny Wensloff (Sr., C/OF, Roseau, Minn.) hit .259, with 45 runs scored, five home runs, and 22 RBIs. At first base, Teddy Giefer (Sr., 1B, Courtland, Minn.) is back after batting .246 in 37 starts, with 25 RBIs, nine doubles, five home runs, and 19 RBIs. At second base, Kobe Senn (R-So., IF, Fargo, N.D.) is back after starting two games and serving in a key pinch-hitter role in 2023. Senn hit .444 in 18 at-bats last season. Mitch Goodwin (R-Sr., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) returns at shortstop after batting .253 in 56 starts as a junior. At third base, Sawyer Satrom (R-So., IF, Portland, N.D.) moves over after starting at second base last season. He batted .301 in 54 starts as a redshirt freshman. Hjelle anchors the outfield, joining Caden Headlee (R-Jr., OF, Fargo, N.D.), who hit .348 in 57 starts, with 37 runs scored, and 38 RBIs. Ben Goelz (R-Sr., OF, Maple Lake, Minn.) returns after batting .303 in 49 starts last season.
In addition, Minnesota Crookston has several new players who could see time in 2024. Freshmen Caden Kappes (SS, Wahpeton, N.D.), Aaron Wensloff (IF, Roseau, Minn.), and Cole Hebl (1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) add to the fray. Transfers Kodi Miller (Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.), and Grant Proctor (Jr., IF, Crystal, Minn.) could see time. In addition, returning players Angelo Pacyga (R-So., OF, Sunfish Lake, Minn.), Connor Bushbaum (R-So., OF, Saginaw, Minn.), Americo Sculati (R-So., OF, Golden Valley, Minn.), and Jonah Norman (R-Fr., C, Winnipeg, Manitoba) could see elevated roles.
On the mound, Dykhoff and Jake Osowski (R-Sr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) lead the way. Osowski has had the winning formula in his career. He has gone 16-2 with a 3.46 ERA in 158.2 innings pitched in his career. Brody Sorenson (Sr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) is back after earning All-NSIC Second Team accolades as a junior. Sorenson went 4-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 47 innings last season.
Isaac Wensloff (So., RHP, Roseau, Minn.), Tad Scherbenske (Sr., RHP, Rapid City, S.D.), Nate Grafsgaard (Sr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.), and Joey Connelly (So., LHP, Eden Prairie, Minn.) could see elevated roles in 2024.
Isaac Roers (R-So., RHP, Stacy, Minn.), Owen Swanson (R-Fr., RHP, Santa Clara, Calif.), Aaron Bennett (R-Fr., RHP, Saginaw, Minn.), Jaxson Bennett (R-Fr., RHP, Saginaw, Minn.), Eli Denisen (R-Fr., LHP, Winona, Minn.), and Derek Lindow (R-So., LHP, Nevis, Minn.) either redshirted or did not see the field last season.
Newcomers Nate Benning (Fr., LHP, Browerville, Minn.), Jacob Mathiason (R-Jr., RHP, Rockford, Minn.), and Caden Edwards (R-Jr., LHP, Duluth, Minn.) could see time as well.
Colorado-Colorado Springs
Projected Starters
R-Sr. C 7 Tyler Richardson, Hemet, Calif., .143, 1 2B
Or Jr. C 19 Joe Plise, Roseville, Calif., .000, 1 R
R-Jr. 1B 31 Evan Steinberger, Goleta, Calif., .600, 1 R, 1 RBI
Or Jr. 1B 32 Dillon Vroman, Bayfield, Colo., .000
Jr. 2B 10 Colton Trudeau, Livermore, Calif., .000
Or Jr. 2B 2 Caleb Chance, Livermore, Calif., .143, 2 R
Jr. 3B 23 Alec Gomez, Tustin, Calif., .417, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI
So. SS 11 Ronan Hella, Albuquerque, N.M., .300, 1 2B, 1 RBI
R-Jr. LF 21 Kasey Campbell, Vista, Calif., .500, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Or R-So. CF 4 Aaron Brakel, Thornton, Colo., .167
R-Jr. CF/LF 25 Hayden Iverson, Fort Collins, Colo., .091, 1 R, 1 RBI
R-Jr. RF 35 Aaron Jenkins, Benicia, Calif., .125, 1 R
R-Jr. DH 13 Kit Wigington, Colorado Springs, Colo., .333, 1 R
Or Fr. DH 38 Liam Whalen, Litchfield Park, Ariz., .000
Top Pitchers
So. RHP 28 Joe McDermott, Aurora, Colo., 0-0 0.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 3 K, 2 BB
R-So. RHP 37 Kyler Carpenter, Parker, Colo., 0-1 2.25 ERA, 4.0 IP, 4 K, 1 BB
R-Jr. RHP 34 Vander Hodges, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 0-1 9.00 ERA, 4.0 IP, 3 K, 2 BB
Jr. RHP 44 Gerrit Erickson, San Diego, Calif., 0-0 0.00 ERA, 1.2 IP, 2 K, 1 BB
R-Jr. RHP 49 James Boeree, Newcastle, Australia, 0-0 0.00 ERA, 2.1 IP, 2 K, 3 BB
The Mountain Lions opened the season last weekend against Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Okla., suffering a sweep to the Savage Storm. Colorado-Colorado Springs went 20-30 in the 2023 season led by Dave Hajek who will be entering his eighth season as head coach of University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in the 2024 season. It was the second season in a row Colorado Springs had a losing season after last having a positive win percentage in 2021 when they went 30-13.
The Mountain Lions were guided in week one by Alec Gomez, who hit .417, with one home run, and four RBIs. Kit Wigington batted .333, with one run scored, while Ronan Hella hit .300. Kasey Campbell returns for UC-Colorado Springs after leading them in batting average with .393 and on base percentage with .475. Campbell was sixth on the team in times at bat and runs scored with 122 and 27 respectively but was fifth in hits with 48. Wigington led Colorado-Colorado Springs in 2022 batting average with .437 but dropped to a .309 in 2023. In 2023 Wigington was at bat 136 times, scoring 32 runs and seven home runs on 42 hits.
On the mound, the Mountain Lions were led in their opening series by Joe McDermott, who had a 0.00 ERA in three innings of work. Kyler Carpenter posted a 2.25 ERA in four innings on the bump. Cole Philip, Garret Shriver and Vander Hodges all return for UC-Colorado Springs for the 2024 season. Philip had the most games started in 2023 for Colorado-Colorado Springs with 11 with an ERA of 8.75, 41 strikeouts, three wins and only five home runs allowed. Shriver had the most appearances in 2023 with 16 with the lowest ERA with 7.28. He also only allowed 24 runs, had one save, finished eight games and allowed only four home runs while facing 153 batters. Hodges had the most saves for CU-Colorado Springs in 2023 with five having finished nine games with 11 appearances. Hodges also batted 94 times scoring 19 runs with one triple on 26 hits.
