SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team swept No. 14 Augustana University Saturday, March 30 at Ronken Field in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Golden Eagles won the first game 9-8 with a walk-off home run, and used a seven-run bottom of the fourth to defeat the Vikings 9-5 in the second tilt. 

The Golden Eagles improved to 14-10 (8-6 NSIC) with the sweep of the Vikings. Augustana dropped to 17-6 (10-4 NSIC) with the loss. Minnesota Crookston picked up their first-ever sweep of the Vikings and their first back-to-back wins over the Vikings since April 2016 and April 2017. The Golden Eagles have gone 5-1 in their last six games. The Golden Eagles moved up to sixth place with the doubleheader sweep. 

Game One
Jake Hjelle (R-Sr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) hit a three-run walk-off home run to send the Golden Eagles to a 9-8 win in the first game of the doubleheader.

Jake Osowski (R-Sr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) started the game and went 5.1 innings, allowing six runs on six hits. Osowski struck out five, and walked five. Max Weber (R-So., RHP, St. Paul, Minn.) came on in relief and allowed an earned run. Isaac Wensloff (So., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) pitched a scoreless inning for Minnesota Crookston. Isaac Roers (R-So., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) moved to 2-2 with the win in relief, allowing no runs in 0.2 innings.

Caleb Saari started for the VIkings, allowing five runs on five hits in 5.2 innings. Saari struck out eight, and walked three. WIll Henry allowed one run in 0.1 innings. Adam Diedrich had the blown save for Augustana, allowing three runs on two hits.

Minnesota Crookston tallied eight hits. Hjelle paced the Golden Eagles, hitting 3-of-4 with four RBIs and a run scored. Caden Headlee (R-Jr., OF, Fargo, N.D.) went 2-of-4, with three runs scored. Teddy Giefer (Sr., 1B, Courtland, Minn.), the team's RBI leader, went 1-of-3, with two RBIs. Josh Dykhoff (So., RHP/DH, Wadena, Minn.) added a home run, as did Cole Hebl (Fr., OF/1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) with a pinch-hit home run.

Minnesota Crookston took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a Hjelle single, bringing in Dykhoff. The Golden Eagles pushed their advantage to 2-0 with a Giefer RBI to plate Headlee.

Augustana pulled within 2-1 in the second with a Parker Mooney home run. The Vikings tied the game 2-2 with a Trevor Winterstein single, scoring Nick Banowetz.

The Golden Eagles moved ahead 3-2 in the third with a Giefer single, driving in Headlee.

The Vikings answered Minnesota Crookston in the top of the fourth. Mooney hit a double down the line, driving in Ragan Pinnow. Augustana took a 4-3 lead later in the frame with a Banowetz single, scoring Luke Ballweg.

The Golden Eagles responded in the fifth with Dykhoff's fifth home run of the season, locking the game at 4-4. 

The Vikings took the lead back in the top of the sixth. Pinch-runner Trey Walker scored on a passed ball to make it 5-4. Banowetz crossed the plate later in the inning on a balk to push the lead to 6-4. Augustana pushed their advantage to 8-4 in the sixth with a Jack Hines sacrifice fly, he brought in Kolbeck and Jason Axelberg.

The Golden Eagles cut into the deficit in the bottom of the sixth with a pinch-hit home run from Hebl, who has had an impressive debut season, slicing the lead to 8-6.

Minnesota Crookston looked to mount a late rally in the bottom of the seventh. Dykhoff opened the frame by reaching on a walk, followed by a Headlee single. With no outs, Hjelle launched one over the fence in left center, scoring Headlee, and pinch-runner Connor Bushbaum (R-So., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) as the 2023 NCBWA National Player of the Year sent the Golden Eagles to a 9-8 win.

Game Two

The Golden Eagles scored seven runs in the bottom of the fourth to ignite a 9-5 victory in the second tilt of the doubleheader.

Dykhoff started the game for Minnesota Crookston. He tossed three innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out one, and walked two. The Golden Eagles were able to use all three of the remaining starting pitchers in the game due to the cancellation of Friday's games. Brody Sorenson (Sr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) picked up the win, improving to 4-1, allowing two runs in four innings. Sorenson struck out four, and had no walks. Nate Benning (Fr., LHP, Browerville, Minn.) pitched a scoreless inning. Nate Grafsgaard (Sr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.) allowed his first run of the season on two hits in one inning of work.

The loss for Augie went to Ashton Michek, who allowed four runs in 3.2 innings. Michek struck out seven, and walked one.

The Golden Eagles were propelled by Hjelle, who was 2-of-4, with two RBIs, and two runs scored. Hjelle had his best day of the season, going 5-of-6 with six RBIs and three runs scored. Dykhoff helped himself out, going 3-of-4, with one RBI and two runs scored. Kobe Senn (R-So., IF, Fargo, N.D.) was 1-of-4, with two RBIs and a run scored. Giefer went 1-of-3, with one RBI and a run scored.
 

The Vikings jumped out to the early lead in the third inning. Max Mosser walked with the bases loaded to plate Axelberg to make it 1-0. Augustana pushed the lead to 2-0 as Tate Meiners scored on a Hines fielder's choice.

The Golden Eagles put together a big inning in the bottom of the fourth with seven runs. Hjelle opened the scoring with a double, scoring Dykhoff to cut the score to 2-1. They tied the game 2-2 when Giefer doubled down the line, bringing in Hjelle. With the bases loaded, Kobe Senn (R-So., IF, Fargo, N.D.) came through with a single, scoring Giefer, and Angelo Pacyga (R-So., OF, Sunfish Lake, Minn.) to put Minnesota Crookston on top 4-2. A Sawyer Satrom (R-So., IF, Portland, N.D.) single plated Mitch Goodwin (R-Sr., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) to extend the advantage to 5-2. Dykhoff then delivered a single to center field, scoring Senn to push the lead to 6-2. Minnesota Crookston rounded out the fourth-inning rally with a Headlee infield single, bringing home Satrom.

Augustana trimmed the Golden Eagle lead to 7-3 with a Mooney home run in the sixth. Minnesota Crookston countered in the bottom of the sixth with a Hjelle double down the line, scoring Dykhoff. Giefer reached on an error in the next at-bat, bringing in Hjelle to widen the gap to 9-3.

The Vikings cut the deficit to 9-4 in the top of the eighth with a Kolbeck single to plate Hines. Benning got the final out of the stanza to keep the game at 9-4.

Winterstein led off the top of the ninth with a double down the line off Grafsgaard. The Vikings got two runners on with no outs, with a Meiners single. They both moved up a base on a wild pitch to give Augustana two runners in scoring position. The Vikings loaded the bases with a Banowetz walk. Grafsgaard came through with a big strikeout of Mosser to secure the first out of the inning. Augustana trimmed the deficit to 9-5 with a Hines sacrifice fly, scoring Winterstein. Banowetz stole second to again give the VIkings two runners in scoring position. Grafsgaard struck out Mooney to preserve the 9-5 win. 

The Golden Eagles return to NSIC play Friday, April 5 at Winona State University at 3 p.m.