MINOT, N.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston picked up a Wednesday sweep in their first mid-week doubleheader of the NSIC slate at Corbett Field against Minot State University. The Golden Eagles won the first tilt 9-5, and came back from a seven-run deficit to defeat the Beavers 16-15 in the second tilt.

Minnesota Crookston improved to 19-11 (13-7 NSIC) with Wednesday's wins. The Golden Eagles are 13-3 in their last 16 games. The Golden Eagles are a win away from their seventh 20-win season in the last 10 years. Minot State dropped to 9-22 (6-15 NSIC) with the losses. Minnesota Crookston has gone 7-1 in their last eight games against the Beavers. The Golden Eagles remain in fifth place in the NSIC standings.

Game One
Minnesota Crookston opened the doubleheader with a 9-5 victory led by three RBIs apiece from Dykhoff, and Hjelle. 

Isaac Wensloff (So., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) made his second start of the season, and had a strong effort in the win. Wensloff improved to 3-1 with the win, picking up his second win in the last six days. Wensloff went five innings, allowing two runs. He struck out five, and walked two. 

Ben Goelz (R-Sr., OF/LHP, Maple Lake, Minn.) made his 2024 pitching debut, allowing two runs on one hit in 0.2 innings. Carsen Barta (Fr., RHP, Fargo, N.D.) faced one batter and secured one out. Isaac Roers (R-So., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) allowed one run on two hits in the seventh inning. 

The loss for Minot State went to Gage Eastlick, who allowed five runs on seven hits. Eastlick struck out four, and walked one in three innings.

Hjelle went 3-of-4, with three RBIs, and two runs scored, including a home run. Dykhoff was 2-of-4, with three RBIs, and two runs scored. Giefer went 2-of-3, with an RBI. Satrom was 1-of-2, with one RBI, and two runs scored. Danny Wensloff (Sr., OF/C, Roseau, Minn.) went 1-of-2, with a run scored.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to an early lead over the Beavers. A Dykhoff double down the line brought in Satrom to make it 1-0. Minnesota Crookston pushed the advantage to 2-0 when Hjelle put down an infield single, plating Dykhoff.

Minnesota Crookston added a pair of runs in the top of the second. Danny Wensloff scored on a Satrom sacrifice fly to widen the gap to 3-0. Goodwin stole home to lift the advantage to 4-0.

The Golden Eagles pushed the space between them to 5-0 with Hjelle's team-leading seventh home run of the season.

Minot State got a run back in the bottom of the third when Brian Parry singled to score Noah Madas.

The Golden Eagles had a big inning in the top of the fourth propelled by a triple from Dykhoff to right field, scoring Satrom and Kobe Senn (R-So., IF, Fargo, N.D.) to push the lead to 7-1. A Hjelle infield single brought in Dykhoff to make it 8-1. The final run of the frame came in with a Giefer single, as the team's RBI single plated Hjelle to widen the gap to 9-1. 

The Beavers made a major dent in the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Ossanna lifted a three-run shot out of the park off Goelz, scoring Ricky Apodaca, and Parry to trim the deficit to 9-4. Barta came on to get the final out of the inning to keep the Golden Eagle lead intact. 

Minot State got the rally going in the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run from Noah Madas to cut the Golden Eagle lead to 9-5 off Roers. Roers secured the next two outs, but Parry kept the rally alive with a single. Roers struck out Grant Gabbert to preserve the 9-5 victory. 

Game Two

The Golden Eagles picked up the sweep with a 16-15 win in the second game. Minnesota Crookston scored 11 runs in the seventh and eighth innings to overcome a 12-5 deficit. The Beavers put up a late rally in the bottom of the ninth, but the Golden Eagles held on for the win.

Caden Edwards (R-Jr., LHP, Duluth, Minn.) picked up his first win at Minnesota Crookston. Edwards went 1.1 innings, allowing no runs on no hits. He struck out one, and walked one. Jake Osowski (R-Sr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) came on for the save, allowing no runs on one hit in one inning.

Nate Benning (Fr., LHP, Browerville, Minn.) started and allowed six earned runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings. Aaron Bennett (R-Fr., RHP, Saginaw, Minn.) allowed four runs in one inning on the bump. Eli Denisen (R-Fr., LHP, Winona, Minn.) allowed no runs in 0.2 innings. Jacob Mathiason (Jr., RHP, Rockford, Minn.) allowed one run in 1.2 innings. Nate Grafsgaard (Sr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.) allowed three unearned runs on one hit. 

The loss for Minot State went to Gage Yost, who allowed three runs in 0.1 innings.

Minnesota Crookston took a 1-0 lead in the second game when Giefer singled through the right side, scoring Caden Headlee (R-Jr., OF, Fargo, N.D.).

The Beavers countered in the bottom of the first with Ricky Apodaca two-run home run, scoring himself, and Parry to take the 2-1 lead.

In the third stanza, Brent Riddle hit a two RBI double, plating Ossanna, and Javier Gutierrez to extend the advantage to 4-1. A Madas single brought in Riddle to push the Beaver score to 5-1.

Minnesota Crookston made a dent in the Minot State lead in the top of the fourth. Danny Wensloff doubled up the middle, scoring Cole Hebl (Fr., OF/1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) to cut it to 5-2. A Senn double plated Wensloff to bring the Golden Eagles within 5-3.

Minot State responded in the bottom of the fourth. Apodanca grounded out, bringing around Seungjun Song from third. Ossanna followed up with a single, scoring Parry to widen the gap to 7-3.

The Golden Eagles countered in the fifth with Giefer's sixth home run of the season, bringing the score within three runs (7-4). Minot State came back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Madas hit a two-run home run, scoring himself, and Riddle. Miles Iverson crossed home on a Gabbert fielder's choice to push the advantage to 10-4. Gabbert scored on a stolen base attempt from Apodaca to widen the lead to 11-4.

Minnesota Crookston got a run back in the sixth when Goodwin scored on a wild pitch to trim the deficit to 11-5. Ossanna scored in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch to put the Beavers ahead 12-5.

The Golden Eagles made a major charge in the top of the seventh. Hebl scored the first run in the rally on a Goodwin groundout. Satrom then doubled to bring in Danny Wensloff to cut the Beaver lead to 12-7. Dykhoff then launched a three-run home run, tying Hjelle for the team home run lead, scoring himself, Satrom, and Senn to bring Minnesota Crookston within 12-10.

Minot State ran into control problems in the eighth. The Golden Eagles opened the top of the eighth with Hjelle and Giefer each reaching on walks. Pinch-hitter Angelo Pacyga (R-So., OF, Sunfish Lake, Minn.) loaded up the bases when he was hit by a pitch chasing Gage Yost from the game. Devin Marton came on to try to get the Beavers out of the frame. Danny Wensloff walked with the bases loaded, scoring Hjelle to cut the deficit to 12-11, with no outs. Goodwin walked with the bases loaded, bringing in pinch-runner Connor Bushbaum (R-So., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) to knot the tilt 12-12. Minnesota Crookston took the lead 13-12 when Senn reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Pacyga. The Golden Eagles loaded the bases again when Satrom was hit by a pitch. Minnesota Crookston continued the scoring rally when Dykhoff walked, plating Danny Wensloff to widen the gap to 14-12. Headlee then walked to score Senn to continue the scoring barrage and extend the lead to 15-12. Balandran came on to try to get the Beavers out of the bases loaded situation. Hjelle sent a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Satrom to make it 16-12. Balandran finally got out of the inning, after the Golden Eagles scored six runs on five walks and two hit by pitches. Minnesota Crookston batted 11 in the half-inning.

The Beavers left one base-runner on in the bottom of the eighth, but Edwards was able to pitch out of the situation. Minot State attempted a ninth-inning rally with Madas and Cameron Carr leading off the stanza with walks off Grafsgaard. A single from Song loaded up the bases with no outs for Minot State. Osowski came on to try to get the Golden Eagles out of the predicament. Apodaca reached on a fielding error, scoring Madas to cut the deficit to 16-13 with two outs. Ossanna continued the rally with a single, scoring Song, and pinch-runner Kekoa Munos. Osowski struck out Gutierrez to preserve the 16-15 win for the Golden Eagles. 

Minnesota Crookston is set for their first home games Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 against Southwest Minnesota State University.