WINONA, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team swept Winona State University Friday, April 5 at Loughrey Field. The Golden Eagles defeated the Warriors 6-3 in the first tilt, and 5-1 in the second game. 

Minnesota Crookston improved to 16-10 (10-6 NSIC) with Friday's sweep over the Warriors. The Golden Eagles are 6-2 in the last eight games. Winona State fell to 12-16 (9-9 NSIC) with the losses. Minnesota Crookston has won six of their last seven games in the series. The Golden Eagles are in fifth place in the NSIC standings, while the Warriors drop to eighth place. 

Game One

Minnesota Crookston picked up the 6-3 win in the first game propelled by the arm of Jake Osowski (R-Sr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.), and a three-run home run from Danny Wensloff (Sr., OF/C, Roseau, Minn.).

Osowski pitched six innings, allowing just two runs on eight hits. He picked up the win to move to 6-0 this season. He struck out four, and walked just one. Nate Grafsgaard (Sr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.) allowed one run on two hits in an inning of relief. 

The loss went to Peter Tveite, who allowed four runs in 5.2 innings for the Warriors.

Minnesota Crookston had six hits in game one. Jake Hjelle (R-Sr., OF, East Grand Forks, Minn.) went 2-of-4, with two RBIs, and a run scored. Wensloff was 1-of-2, with three RBIs, and a run scored. Caden Headlee (R-Jr., OF, Fargo, N.D.) went 2-of-4. Kodi Miller (Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) was 1-of-4, with an RBI, and a run scored.

The Warriors jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a Cole Fuecker single to plate Joshua Hawksford.

Winona State held the 1-0 lead until the top of the fourth when the Golden Eagles broke through. Giefer opened the two-out rally after he was hit by a pitch. Minnesota Crookston got two runners on with a Miller single to keep the rally alive. They got on the scoreboard with a swing of the bat of Danny Wensloff, sending one over the fence to give the Golden Eagles a 3-1 lead. Wensloff's home run was his fourth of the season.

The Warriors pulled within 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth on a Fuecker double, plating Connor Weed. With runners on second and third, Osowski got Jess Ondell to fly out to keep the lead heading into the sixth stanza.

Minnesota Crookston got the run back in the top of the sixth with a Miller sacrifice fly to bring in Hjelle to extend the lead to 4-2. After Wensloff was walked, Boyd Skelly came on in relief and got the Warriors out of any further damage with a Goodwin strikeout.

Winona State put runners on the corners in the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back singles from Trocke and Ben Hefel. Osowski got Kyle Yu to fly out to keep the game at 4-2 in favor of the Golden Eagles.

Minnesota Crookston loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with walks to Senn and Dykhoff, and a single to Headlee. Minnesota Crookston widened the gap to 6-2 with a Hjelle double, scoring Dykhoff, and Kobe Senn. Theo Giedd got the final two outs to halt the Golden Eagle scoring rally.

Grafsgaard came on for the save opportunity in the bottom of the seventh. He got the first two outs of the frame, but Fuecker kept the Warriors alive with a double. A Jess Ondell single scored Fuecker to cut the deficit to 6-3. Ryland Wall walked to keep the inning alive for Winona State. Grafsgaard got a strikeout of Austin Beyer to preserve the 6-3 win. 

Game Two

The Golden Eagles picked up a 5-1 victory in the second game of the doubleheader led by strong pitching. Minnesota Crookston was propelled offensively by home runs from Hjelle and Mitch Goodwin (R-Sr., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.).

Freshman Southpaw Nate Benning (Browerville, Minn.) started and tossed 4.1 innings in the win, allowing one run on three hits. Benning struck out two, and walked four. Isaac Wensloff (So., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) went 4.2 innings, allowing no runs on three hits. He struck out one, and walked one. 

Kole Hinrichsen was handed the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits. He went six innings, with seven strikeouts.

Hjelle was 1-of-3, with two RBIs, and a run scored. Headlee finished 2-of-4, with one RBI, and a run scored. Dykhoff went 2-of-5, with an RBI. Goodwin was 2-of-4, with an RBI, and a run scored. 

The Golden Eagles broke a scoreless tie in the third with a double from Headlee, driving in Sawyer Satrom (R-So., IF, Portland, N.D.). Minnesota Crookston pushed their lead to 3-0 when Hjelle drove his team-high sixth home run of the season over the fence, plating himself, and Headlee. 

Winona State got a run back in the bottom of the fourth with an Austin Beyer double, plating Fuecker to trim the deficit to 3-1.

Goodwin tied Hjelle for the most home runs this season with his sixth long ball of the season, pushing the lead to 4-1 in the top of the seventh. Dykhoff then singled in Kobe Senn (R-So., IF, Fargo, N.D.) to widen the gap to 5-1. Cole Stanchina came on in relief and secured the final out of the inning. 

Wensloff shut the Warriors down the rest of the way in the 5-1 victory. Minnesota Crookston and Winona State will play a doubleheader tomorrow at 12 and 2 p.m.