CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team picked up a Saturday sweep of the University of Minnesota Duluth, defeating the Bulldogs 12-4, and 8-5.
The Golden Eagles improved to 28-14 (22-10 NSIC) with Saturday's wins. They remain a half-game behind St. Cloud State University in third place in the conference standings. The Golden Eagles lead Wayne State College by two games. Minnesota Crookston has clinched the series win, and has kept their streak of not losing a series since the Wayne State College four-game set to open the NSIC season. Minnesota Duluth dropped to 16-27 (12-22 NSIC) with the losses. The Golden Eagles 22-6 in their last 28 games. The Golden Eagles are 5-1 against the Bulldogs in their last six games.
Game One - The Golden Eagles defeated Minnesota Duluth 12-4 propelled by home runs from Caden Headlee (Sr., OF, Fargo, N.D.), Jake Hjelle (R-Sr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.), and Josh Dykhoff (So., RHP/DH, Wadena, Minn.). Jake Osowski (R-Sr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) picked up his eighth win of the season, moving to 8-0 and tying the school record for single-season victories set previously by Nolan Wahlberg (2016) and Jake Dykhoff (2023).
Osowski went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. Osowski struck out seven, and walked two. Osowski is 8-0 on the season, and is now 24-2 in his career at Minnesota Crookston.
Max Weber (Jr., RHP, St. Paul, Minn.) pitched 0.1 innings, allowing no runs. Carsen Barta (Fr., RHP, Fargo, N.D.) pitched one inning, allowing no runs on two hits.
The loss went to Brayden Buttweiler, who allowed eight runs on 10 hits in 4.2 innings.
The Golden Eagles picked up 14 hits in the first game. Sawyer Satrom (R-So., IF, Portland, N.D.) was 3-of-4, with two RBIs, and four runs scored. Caden Headlee (Sr., OF, Fargo, N.D.) went 3-of-4, with three RBIs, and two runs scored. Jake Hjelle (R-Sr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) was 3-of-4, with three RBIs, and two runs scored. Josh Dykhoff (So., RHP/DH, Wadena, Minn.) finished 3-of-4, with one run scored, and one RBI. Kobe Senn (R-So., IF, Fargo, N.D.) went 2-of-3, with one RBI, and two runs scored.
Hjelle opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with his 11th home run of the season, plating himself, and Satrom to make it 2-0.
The Golden Eagles added three runs in the bottom of the second. Senn doubled to center field, scoring Mitch Goodwin (R-Sr., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.). Satrom singled to plate Senn to widen the gap to 4-0. Satrom came in on a Teddy Giefer (Sr., 1B, Courtland, Minn.) ground out to make it 5-0.
The Bulldogs got two runs in the top of the third. Gabe Richardson singled to right center to drive in Troy Lynch and cut the deficit to 5-1. A Jack Puder double down the line scored Oren Hinkle to bring the tally to 5-2.
Minnesota Crookston took a 6-2 lead in the third with Dykhoff's 10th home run of the season.
The Bulldogs responded and cut the Golden Eagle advantage to 6-3 when Trevor Gustafson hit a one-run shot in the top of the fourth. The Golden Eagles countered in their half of the fourth stanza. Headlee doubled to score Satrom. Hjelle then singled, plating Headlee to push the lead to 8-3.
The Golden Eagles pushed the lead to 9-3 in the fifth with a Satrom double, scoring Senn. Headlee then delivered a two-run home run over the center field fence, scoring himself, and Satrom.
In the top of the sixth, Lynch singled in Kade Peloquin to pull the Bulldogs within 11-4.
Minnesota Crookston put the final tally at 12-4 when Danny Wensloff (R-Jr., OF/C, Roseau, Minn.) used a sacrifice fly to bring in Hjelle.
Game Two - The Golden Eagles made it a Saturday sweep with an 8-5 victory over the Bulldogs. Minnesota Crookston was propelled by a grand slam from Hjelle, his team-high 12th home run of the season.
Dykhoff started the game and tossed 5.1 innings, allowing two earned runs, on seven hits. He struck out four, and walked one. Isaac Roers (R-So., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) went 0.1 innings, allowing no runs, on one hit. Caden Edwards (R-Jr., LHP, Duluth, Minn.) picked up the win to improve to 2-0. He allowed one run, on three hits. He struck out one. Nate Grafsgaard (R-Jr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.) picked up his second save of the season. He allowed one run on two hits in two innings.
The loss went to Connor Nygard, who allowed three runs in 1.2 innings of relief.
Minnesota Crookston was guided by Giefer, who went 2-of-5, with one run scored. Hjelle was 1-of-2, with four RBIs, and a run scored. Hjelle needs just two runs to break his brother Reed Hjelle's record for career runs scored. Angelo Pacyga (R-So., OF, Sunfish Lake, Minn.) was 1-of-2, with an RBI, and a run scored. Dykhoff went 1-of-3, with two RBIs. Goodwin was 1-of-4, with two runs scored.
The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Richardson doubled in Sam Kliber.
The Golden Eagles responded with Hjelle's grand slam in the bottom of the third, plating himself, Goodwin, Senn, and Satrom to put Minnesota Crookston ahead 4-1.
Minnesota Duluth cut the Golden Eagle lead to 4-2 in the top of the fourth when Ethan Cole scored on an error. Lynch then crossed home to cut the deficit to 4-3 on on a Peloquin single. Dykhoff got out of the inning without further damage.
Edwards got a crucial strikeout to close out the top of the sixth as Minnesota Duluth stranded the bases loaded to keep the score at 4-3 in favor of the Golden Eagles.
Minnesota Duluth knotted the score 4-4 in the top of the seventh when Lynch singled, and Richardson came in to score.m The Golden Eagles got out of further trouble again, as UMD stranded two runners.
The Golden Eagles took the lead back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Pacyga singled to plate Headlee for the go-ahead run. Dykhoff then doubled down the line, scoring Pacyga, and Giefer to widen the gap to 7-4.
The Bulldogs cut the deficit to 7-5 in the top of the eighth when Puder singled in Kliber. Again though, UMD stranded two runners.
Minnesota Crookston picked up a security run in the bottom of the eighth when Goodwin scored on a failed pickoff attempt throw that went errant, making it 8-5.
Grafsgaard shut down the Bulldogs in order to earn the save, and preserve the 8-5 win.
The Golden Eagles will take on Minnesota Duluth Sunday, April 28 at 12 p.m., at the Minnesota Crookston Baseball Field. They will honor their 11 seniors during and following Sunday's game.