CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team will conclude the 2024 regular-season Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4 at Fossum Field in Aberdeen, S.D. The Golden Eagles will play the Wolves at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, and 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Minnesota Crookston comes into the trio of tilts with a 31-14 (25-10 NSIC) mark. The Golden Eagles have accomplished their first back-to-back 30-win seasons in program history. Minnesota Crookston is currently third in the conference standings. They trail Minnesota State University by 2.5 games, and lead St. Cloud State University by a half-game. The Golden Eagles are currently on a six-game winning streak. They have posted a 25-6 mark since March 12. Minnesota Crookston has clinched their sixth NSIC Tournament since 2016.
Northern State comes into the series with a 18-28 (13-23 NSIC) record. The Wolves are out of contention for the NSIC Tournament. Northern State is 2-3 in their last five games. The Golden Eagles have won the last eight games in the series. The Wolves had previously won four-consecutive tilts from April 25, 2018 - April 24, 2019.
Minnesota Crookston at Northern State
Friday, May 3 - 1:30/3:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 4 - 12 p.m.
Live Stats - AUGIE 14 NSU 3 Final (nsuwolves.com)
Video - Northern State University on the NSIC Network
Minnesota Crookston
Projected Starters
Jr. C 29 Kodi Miller, Grand Rapids, Minn., .292, 23 R, 6 2B, 8 HR, 25 RBI
Sr. 1B 18 Teddy Giefer, Courtland, Minn., .360, 31 R, 13 2B, 6 HR, 48 RBI
R-So. 2B 20 Kobe Senn, Fargo, N.D., .281, 33 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 20 RBI
R-So. 3B 2 Sawyer Satrom, Portland, N.D., .329, 39 R, 7 2B, 1 HR, 25 RBI
R-Sr. SS 10 Mitch Goodwin, Prior Lake, Minn., .271, 37 R, 10 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 33 RBI
R-Sr. LF 8 Jake Hjelle, East Grand Forks, Minn., .325, 50 R, 12 2B, 1 3B, 13 HR, 48 RBI
Sr. CF 9 Caden Headlee, Fargo, N.D., .377, 41 R, 12 2B, 6 HR, 36 RBI
R-Jr. RF/C 19 Danny Wensloff, Roseau, Minn., .276, 34 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 34 RBI
Or Fr. RF 37 Cole Hebl, Hillsboro, N.D., .378, 15 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI
So. DH 32 Josh Dykhoff, Wadena, Minn., .320, 47 R, 13 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 43 RBI
Top Pitchers
R-Sr. RHP 24 Jake Osowski, East Grand Forks, Minn., 8-0 3.94 ERA, 64.0 IP, 60 K, 22 BB
Sr. RHP 7 Brody Sorenson, Grand Forks, N.D., 7-1 4.39 ERA, 65.2 IP, 63 K, 10 BB
Fr. LHP 41 Nate Benning, Browerville, Minn., 3-1 5.87 ERA, 46.0 IP, 31 K, 25 BB
So. RHP 32 Josh Dykhoff, Wadena, Minn., 2-2 6.98 ERA, 49.0 IP, 43 K, 20 BB
So. RHP 3 Isaac Wensloff, Roseau, Minn., 5-2 6.46 ERA, 39.0 IP, 33 K, 12 BB
R-Jr. RHP 25 Nate Grafsgaard, Devils Lake, N.D., 0-1 2.76 ERA, 16.1 IP, 3 SV, 27 K, 16 BB
Jr. RHP 15 Max Weber, St. Paul, Minn., 2-1 4.32 ERA, 8.1 IP, 9 K, 4 BB
Fr. RHP 34 Carsen Barta, Fargo, N.D., 0-0 2.89 ERA, 9.1 IP, 4 K, 6 BB
The Golden Eagles are hitting .313 as a team, with 376 runs scored, 89 doubles, nine triples, 63 home runs, and 336 RBIs. They have a .510 slugging percentage entering the weekend. Caden Headlee (Sr., OF, Fargo, N.D.) comes in swinging .377, with 41 runs scored, 12 doubles, six home runs, and 36 RBIs. Kodi Miller (Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) has been on a hot streak in the last three games. He is hitting 6-of-9 for .667, with four home runs, five runs scored, and six RBIs. NCBWA National Player of the Year Jake Hjelle (R-Sr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.) is batting .325, with 50 runs scored, 12 doubles, 13 home runs, and 48 RBIs. Teddy Giefer (Sr., 1B, Courtland, Minn.) comes in hitting .360, with 31 runs scored, 13 doubles, six home runs, and 48 RBIs.
The Minnesota Crookston pitching staff comes in with a 5.81 ERA, with 341 strikeouts, and 168 walks. Jake Osowski (R-Sr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.) is one win from setting the single-season mark in wins. He is 8-0 with a 3.94 ERA, with 60 strikeouts, and 22 walks. Brody Sorenson (Sr., RHP, Grand Forks, N.D.) is 7-1 with a 4.39 ERA, with a team-high 63 strikeouts, and just 10 walks. Southpaw Nate Benning (Fr., LHP, Browerville, Minn.) is 3-1 with a 5.87 ERA in 46 innings. Out of the bullpen, Nate Grafsgaard (Sr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.) leads the team with three saves. He has a 2.76 ERA in 16.1 innings, with 27 strikeouts.
Northern State
Projected Starters
Jr. C 25 Brennan Phillips, .378, 47 R, 15 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 23 RBI
So. 1B 21 Jonah Schmidt, .282, 21 R, 8 2B, 3 HR, 22 RBI
Sr. 2B 8 Jackson Meyer, .254, 19 R, 4 2B, 14 RBI
Jr. 3B 17 Nicholas Ochoa, .274, 23 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 27 RBI
Jr. SS 12 Nick Friedges, .301, 41 R, 15 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 34 RBI
R-Sr. LF 14 Karson Hesser, .364, 33 R, 16 2B, 3 HR, 41 RBI
CF 28 Michael Benavides, .244, 22 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 16 RBI
R-So. RF 20 Jack Weidner, .324, 31 R, 12 2B, 5 HR, 35 RBI
So. DH 1 Easton Rerick, .192, 10 R, 4 2B, 4 RBI
Top Pitchers
Sr. RHP 40 Max Otto, 5-4 5.82 ERA, 68.0 IP, 71 K, 22 BB
R-Jr. RHP 18 Michael Chevalier, 4-5 6.23 ERA, 56.1 IP, 47 K, 26 BB
Jr. RHP 4 Drew Burkholder, 3-2 6.65 ERA, 43.1 IP, 31 K, 30 BB
R-Jr. LHP 39 Jack Miller, 2-2 5.77 ERA, 34.1 IP, 27 K, 12 BB
R-Sr. RHP 31 Brenden Baxter, 0-4 7.34 ERA, 34.1 IP, 13 K, 14 BB
So. RHP 30 Jake Helleloid, 0-2 14.87 ERA, 23.0 IP, 23 K, 23 BB
So. LHP 26 Cooper Tessendorf, 1-3 9.78 ERA, 19.1 IP, 12 K, 8 BB
Jr. RHP 37 Daulton Vanderloo, 0-0 5.40 ERA, 15.0 IP, 17 K, 12 BB
Northern State is batting .284 as a team, with 290 runs scored, 25 home runs, and 249 RBIs. The Wolves are guided by Brennan Phillips, who is hitting .378, with 47 runs scored, three home runs, and 23 RBIs. Karson Hesser comes in swinging .364, with 33 runs scored, 16 doubles, and 41 RBIs. Jack Weidner is batting .324, with 31 runs scored, five home runs, and 35 RBIs.
The pitching staff has a 8.49 ERA, with 275 strikeouts, and just 198 walks. They are guided by Max Otto, who is 5-4 with a 5.82 ERA. He has struck out 71, and walked 22. Michael Chevalier is 4-5 with a 6.23 ERA, with 47 strikeouts. Drew Burkholder comes in with a 3-2 mark and a 6.65 ERA in 43.1 innings. Lefty Jack Miller is 2-2 with a 5.77 ERA in 34.1 innings.
