CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team ended their 2024 home slate with a sweep of University of Mary 11-4 and 11-10. The Golden Eagles came back to defeat the Marauders after trailing 6-0 in the second game. Nate Grafsgaard (R-Jr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.) struck out Ben Prediger with the bases loaded to preserve the game two win.

The Golden Eagles improved to 31-14 (25-10 NSIC) with the sweep. Minnesota Crookston secured their first back-to-back 30-win seasons in program history. The Golden Eagles maintain their run in the conference, as they have either split or swept every series since losing the series to Wayne State College (February 22-23). Minnesota Crookston improved to 11-1 at home with the victories. UMary dropped to 22-23 (18-17 NSIC) with the losses. The Golden Eagles lead St. Cloud State by a half-game in third place. They are 1.5 games behind Minnesota State University in second place. UMary dropped to seventh place in the standings. The Golden Eagles are 4-1 in their last five games. Minnesota Crookston has won six-straight games.

Game One
The Golden Eagles picked up an 11-4 victory in game one. Brody Sorenson (Sr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) pitched a complete game, improving to 7-1. Sorenson allowed four runs on nine hits. He struck out four, and walked one.

Minnesota Crookston notched 12 hits. Kodi Miller (Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) paced the Golden Eagles, going 4-of-4, with five RBIS, and three runs scored. Miller hit two home runs. He is 6-of-11, with 11 RBIs, five runs scored, and four home runs in the last three games.

Jake Hjelle (R-Sr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) went 2-of-2, with an RBI, and a run scored. Teddy Giefer (Sr., 1B, Courtland, Minn.) finished 1-of-2, with two RBIs, and a run scored. Mitch Goodwin (R-Sr., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) was 2-of-4, with two RBIs. Hjelle set the career record for runs scored in the game, surpassing his brother Reed Hjelle's record.

The loss went to UMary's Paxton Miller, who allowed 10 runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings. 

The Marauders jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a Josh Walker home run, scoring himself, and Krece Papierski.

The Golden Eagles bounced back with five runs in the bottom of the first. Giefer doubled to plate Sawyer Satrom (R-So., IF, Portland, N.D.) to cut the deficit to 2-1. A Miller single, drove in Hjelle, and Giefer to put Minnesota Crookston ahead 3-2. Goodwin then doubled through the left side, scoring Dykhoff, and Miller to make it 5-2.

A Miller solo shot widened the gap to 6-2 in the third for the Golden Eagles.

UMary trimmed the deficit to 6-3 with a Carter Beck home run in the top of the fourth. The Golden Eagles responded with back-to-back-to-back home runs. Hjelle opened up the scoring with his team-high 13th home run to push it to 7-3. Miller made it four home runs in his last two games, with a two-run home run, scoring himself, and Dykhoff to extend the advantage to 9-3. Danny Wensloff (R-Jr., OF/C, Roseau, Minn.) hit a solo shot to widen the gap to 10-3.

A Beck triple in the fifth scored Noah Hull to cut the deficit to 10-4 for the Marauders. However, Minnesota Crookston came back with a Giefer sacrifice fly to plate Kobe Senn (R-So., IF, Fargo, N.D.) to push the final tally to 11-4.

Game Two

The Golden Eagles trailed 6-0 early in the game, but scored 11 runs in the final six innings to pick up an 11-10 win. The game came down to the wire as UMary had the bases loaded with two outs, but Grafsgaard struck out Prediger to preserve the victory.

Isaac Wensloff (So., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) picked up the win, improving to 5-2. He went five innings, allowing six runs on eight hits. He struck out three, and walked two. Carsen Barta (Fr., RHP, Fargo, N.D.) pitched a scoreless sixth inning. Max Weber (Jr., RHP, St. Paul, Minn.) tossed a scoreless seventh, striking out two. Caden Edwards (R-Jr., LHP, Duluth, Minn.) allowed two earned runs on two hits in 0.2 innings. Grafsgaard picked up his third save of the season, allowing one run on three hits in 1.1 innings.

The loss went to Kaden Moriarty, who allowed five unearned runs in two innings. Jared Arnold started the game, allowing two runs on two hits in three innings.

Hjelle went 2-of-4, with three runs scored, in his final game at home for Minnesota Crookston. A Hjelle has been on the Golden Eagle roster for the last 397 games, and has started 383 of those games. Both brothers (Jake and Reed) have been NSIC Players of the Year. Wednesday marked the final home game one of the brothers will be in the line-up for the Golden Eagles, ending a nine-year run.

Dykhoff went 1-of-2, with two runs scored, and an RBI. Giefer was 1-of-4, with two runs scored. Goodwin was 2-of-3, with three RBIs, and a run scored. 

The Marauders took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second with a Cru Walker single, driving in Beck, and Hull. UMary widened the gap to 3-0 with a Kalem Haney single to drive in Carter Shin. The Marauders extended their advantage by three runs with a Papierski home run, palting himself, Haney, and Cru Walker to push the lead to 6-0.

The Golden Eagles cut the deficit to 6-1 in the fourth when Danny Wensloff walked with the bases loaded, scoring Hjelle. A Senn sacrifice fly scored Dykhoff to trim the lead to 6-2.

Minnesota Crookston got the tally down to 6-3 in the fifth when Giefer scored on an error. Goodwin then delivered a double to plate Dykhoff, and Hjelle to cut the deficit to 6-5. Minnesota Crookston took the lead 7-6 with a Senn double, scoring Goodwin, and Wensloff. 

The Golden Eagles extended their lead to 8-6 in the sixth with a Hjelle single to bring in Caden Headlee (Sr., OF, Fargo, N.D.). A Dykhoff sacrifice fly plated Giefer to widen the gap to 9-6. Hjelle scored on a wild pitch to cap off the inning 10-6.

Minnesota Crookston held the 10-6 advantage until a rally in the eighth for the Marauders. Becker scored on a passed ball to cut the lead to 10-7. A Haney single then brought in Martin, and Shin to pull UMary within 10-9. Grafsgaard was able to get the Golden Eagles out of the frame with the advantage.

Minnesota Crookston padded their lead in the bottom of the eighth with a Goodwin single to drive in Ben Goelz (R-Sr., OF, Maple Lake, Minn.) to make it 11-9.

UMary made a late push. Hull put one over the fence with one out to cut the deficit to 11-10. With one out, the Marauders kept the inning alive when Dylan Edmands reached on a dropped third strike. Shin singled and Martin walked to load up the bags with two outs. Grafsgaard came through with the save as he struck out Prediger, as the Golden Eagles held on to win 11-10.

The game was the final game at home for Hjelle, Headlee, Goelz, Sorenson, Jake Osowski, Nick Thompson, Blake Gulden, Tad Scherbenske, Goodwin, Christian Norby, and Giefer. 

Minnesota Crookston wraps up the regular season Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4 in Aberdeen, S.D., against Northern State University.