BEATRICE, Neb. - The University of Minnesota Crookston earned a Saturday split against Concordia University, St. Paul at Christenson Field in Beatrice, Neb. The Golden Eagles mounted a 6-5 comeback win in game one, but fell 4-3 in a walk-off loss to the Golden Bears.

Minnesota Crookston won the series 3-1. They improved their mark to 12-10 (6-6 NSIC). Concordia-St. Paul sits at 13-8 (5-7 NSIC) with the split. The Golden Eagles have won six of the last seven games with the Golden Bears. 

The Golden Eagles scored five runs in the top of the sixth run for a 6-5 comeback victory over Concordia-St. Paul in the first game of the doubleheader. 

Brody Sorenson (Sr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) improved to 3-1 with the win on the mound. He threw a complete game over seven innings, with four earned runs on nine hits. Sorenson had six strikeouts, and just one walk. Sorenson has 41 strikeouts, to just seven walks during his senior season.

At the plate, Minnesota Crookston notched 10 hits. Angelo Pacyga (R-So., OF, Sunfish Lake, Minn.) was 2-of-4, with one RBI and two runs scored. Teddy Giefer (Sr., 1B, Courtland, Minn.) continued his phenomenal senior season by going 2-of-4, with two RBIs and a run scored. Danny Wensloff (Sr., OF/C, Roseau, Minn.) was 3-of-4, with two RBIs and a run scored. Caden Headlee (R-Jr., OF, Fargo, N.D.) went 2-of-4, with an RBI.

Reece Piontek started on the mound for the Golden Bears. He went five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits. Andrew Boeser picked up the loss, allowing one run on three hits in two frames. 

After hitting four home runs in the second game Friday, Nick Thimsen started out hot in game one, hitting a home run to give Concordia-St. Paul a 1-0 lead in the first. 

The Golden Bears pushed their lead to 2-0 with a Bennett McCollow sacrifice fly to score Kal Brohmer.

Concordia-St. Paul scored three runs in the fourth. Bryce Nelson singled to plate Mason Nadolney to extend the advantage to 3-0. Justin McGuigan reached on an error, allowing Nelson to come around to the plate. A Koby McBroome sacrifice fly scored Brohmer to push the advantage to 5-0.

Pacyga launched his first career home run to pull Minnesota Crookston within 5-1 in the fifth.

Giefer opened the scoring in the sixth with his fifth home run of the season, driving in himself and Jake Hjelle (R-Sr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) to cut the lead to 5-3. Danny Wensloff put a two-run shot over the fence, plating himself and Pacyga to tie the game 5-5. A Headlee single brought in Sawyer Satrom (R-So., IF, Portland, N.D.) to give the Golden Eagles the 6-5 advantage, and they would hold on for the victory.

Game Two

Concordia-St. Paul earned a 4-3 win after walking off on a sacrifice fly from Noah Juliar. The two squads went into the bottom of the ninth knotted 3-3, but the Golden Bears came through with the winning run.

Nate Benning (Fr., LHP, Browerville, Minn.) continued his impressive freshman season as the newcomer tossed six innings, allowing just one unearned run on eight hits. He struck out four, and walked one, putting the Golden Eagles in a position to win. Joey Connelly (So., LHP, Eden Prairie, Minn.) allowed two runs in 0.1 innings, with one strikeout. Max Weber (R-So., RHP, St. Paul, Minn.) tossed 0.2 of scoreless ball for the Golden Eagles. Caden Edwards (Jr., LHP, Duluth, Minn.) went one scoreless inning, with two strikeouts. Nate Grafsgaard (Sr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.) suffered the loss after allowing an unearned run in the ninth. He has not given up an earned run this season. 

Ian Segna started for the Golden Bears and went six innings, allowing two runs on six hits. The win went to Matt Sherman, who allowed no runs in one inning of relief.

Minnesota Crookston collected seven hits in the game. Headlee led the way, going 2-of-4, with an RBI and two runs scored. Hjelle was 1-of-4, with an RBI and a run scored. Giefer was 1-of-3. 

The Golden Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth with a solo home run from Headlee, his third of the season. The Golden Bears evened the score 1-1 when Nelson scored on a McGuigan sacrifice fly. 

Minnesota Crookston took the lead back 2-1 with a Kodi Miller (Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) double to score Headlee. 

Concordia-St. Paul took the lead back in the bottom of the seventh with a Thimsen double down the line, scoring McCollow, and Brayden Roybal. 

The Golden Eagles knotted the game in the top of the eighth when Hjelle went yard for the fourth time this season, tying the tilt 3-3. 

The Golden Bears put runners in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth when Thimsen singled to center field, and moved to second on an error. McBroome also advanced on the throwing error after walking. McBroome would come in to score on a sacrifice fly from Noah Juliar as Concordia-St. Paul earned the walk-off win. 

Minnesota Crookston is slated to open their home slate Thursday, March 28 against Augustana University at 3:30 p.m.