Bismarck, N.D. – With a pair of one run victories on Sunday afternoon on the road at the University of Mary, Minnesota Crookston softball won their sixth and seventh conference games of the season. With their 3-2 win in game two, the Golden Eagles set the program record for most NSIC wins in a season.
Minnesota Crookston improves to 14-34 (7-17 NSIC) on the season.
Game One
On a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, the Golden Eagles would fall behind early once again, as the Marauders would score a pair in the bottom half of the first.
Minnesota Crookston would answer right back to cut the lead in half on a
Sophie Juntunen (So., 1B, St. Michael, Minn.) RBI double, scoring
Reagan Emerick (R-Jr., MIF, Macomb, Ill.).
The Golden Eagles would tie the game up on a
Emilee Haggadone (So., C, Lincoln, Neb.) solo home run. It was the first of two big hits on the day for Haggadone and the first career home run for the sophomore.
The game would be tied in the sixth, but the Golden Eagles would strike for three runs, started by a two RBI single by Juntunen, scoring Emerick and
Irelyn Spencer (So., MIF, Rapid City, S.D.). Juntunen would eventually give the Golden Eagles a 5-2 lead, scoring on a
Maddie Shwaluk (Sr., OF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) single.
The Marauders would hit a pair of solo home runs in the sixth and seventh innings and would get the tying run on at second in the seventh, but
Alexa Guilford (So., P, Crystal City, Manitoba) would slam the door shut, giving the Golden Eagles the 5-4 win.
Emerick, Juntunen and
Haley Koch (Jr., C, Mondamin, Iowa) each had two hits in the game to lead the way for the maroon and gold. Juntunen drove in a career-high three runs in game one.
Thayda Houser (Sr., P, Seymour, Iowa) picked up her team leading sixth win of the year, giving up four earned runs on nine hits, in 6.1 innings of work. Guilford picked up her second save of the season, stranding a pair of runners in the last half inning.
Game Two
Game two would see a similar script to game one. The Marauders would strike for two quick runs in the bottom of the second to take a 2-0 lead.
The two run lead would stay safe until the fifth inning.
Paige Shwaluk (Sr., MIF, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) would get the Golden Eagles on the board, driving in Juntunen.
Maddie Shwaluk would later come around and score on a
Whitnee Curry (Jr., MIF/OF, Lincoln, Neb.) RBI single.
The big swing would once again come from the sophomore, Haggadone. Haggadone would lace a single to centerfield, scoring Emerick and give the maroon and gold their first lead of the game at 3-2.
That lead would be enough as the Golden Eagles would sweep the Marauders in a pair of tight games.
A pair of Lincoln natives led the way offensively for the Golden Eagles, as both Haggadone and Curry finished with two hits.
It took a village in the circle for the Golden Eagles.
Charlotte Dombrowski (So., P/OF, Valparaiso, Ind.) earned the start and went an inning. Guilford gave up two hits in 3.2 innings of work, while
Evie Stuck (Jr., P, Papillion, Neb.) picked up her third win of the year, not allowing a run in 2.1 innings of work.
What's Next
Minnesota Crookston will make some history on Wednesday as they play their first Division I opponent in program history, as the Golden Eagles head 20 miles west to take on the University of North Dakota on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 3 P.M., in Grand Forks.
