BISMARCK, N.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team fell 6-0 to Southwest Minnesota State Wednesday, May 8 to open the 2024 NSIC Tournament at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark in Bismarck, N.D. Kolby Kiser pitched a shutout for the Mustangs, as he held the Golden Eagle bats at bay.

Minnesota Crookston fell to 34-15 with Wednesday's loss, snapping a nine-game winning streak. Wednesday's opening-round loss was the first at the NSIC Tournament for the Golden Eagles since a 14-0 loss to St. Cloud State University May 9, 2019. Southwest Minnesota State improved to 27-22 with the victory. Minnesota Crookston is 5-2 in their last seven games with the Mustangs. Minnesota Crookston is 5-13 in their NSIC Tournament history. 

Jake Osowski (R-Sr., RHP, East Grand Forks, Minn.), a All-NSIC Second Team selection, suffered his first loss of the season and only his third of his career, allowing six runs on 12 hits, with two strikeouts, and one walk. Isaac Roers (R-So., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) was outstanding in relief, retiring all nine batters he faced in three innings out of the bullpen. Carsen Barta (Fr., RHP, Fargo, N.D.) pitched his sixth-consecutive scoreless inning of relief.

Kiser got the win, pitching the complete game with 131 pitches and allowing no runs on six hits. He improved to 7-3 with the victory.

Minnesota Crookston picked up six hits led by back-to-back All-NSIC First Team selection Jake Hjelle (R-Sr., OF/1B, East Grand Forks, Minn.), who went 2-of-3. Teddy Giefer (Sr., 1B, Courtland, Minn.), Kodi Miller (Jr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.), Kobe Senn (R-So., IF, Fargo, N.D.), and Mitch Goodwin (R-Sr., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) each had hits. 

Isaac Nett reached on a single, but Miller threw out Nett attempting to steal second, to keep the score 0-0 in the top of the first. The Mustangs remained alive with a Latendresse single with two outs. Osowski got Jaxon Haase to lineout to left field to keep the scoreboard empty.

Kiser retired the first two batters in the bottom of the first, but Giefer kept UMN Crookston alive with a single. Giefer moved to second on a passed ball. Kiser walked Hjelle to give the Golden Eagles a pair of base runners with two outs. Kiser got Dykhoff to flyout to keep the tally 0-0. 

Kalenberg opened the top of the first with a single for the Mustangs. Keenan Wenzel followed up with a home run over the left field fence to give Southwest Minnesota State an early 2-0 advantage. Tauer kept the inning alive with a bunt single with nobody out. Osowski responded and retired the next two batters. McDaniel kept the inning alive with an infield single. Nett hit a ground-rule double into the ivy in right field, driving in Tauer, but McDaniel was thrown out at home, but not before the Mustangs extended the lead to 3-0.

Miller started out the bottom of the second with a bloop single. Minnesota Crookston put two on when Goodwin was hit by a pitch with just one out. Kiser countered and got the next two batters out. 

The Mustangs pushed their lead to 5-0 in the top of the third. A Haase double drove in Latendresse to make it 4-0. A Wenzel sacrifice fly plated Haase to widen the gap to 5-0. Osowski was able to get out of the frame. 

With two outs, Nett drilled one over the right field fence to extend the advantage to 6-0. Osowski got Latendresse to pop out to get out of the stanza.

With two outs, Wenzel kept the inning alive in the top of the fifth for the Mustangs, with a single. Osowski got out of the stanza after a a long at-bat for Tauer.

With one out, the Golden Eagles gave Minnesota Crookston life with a bloop single to center. Kiser retired the next two hitters to keep the score at 6-0. 

Roers kept Minnesota Crookston by retiring six in a row in relief in the sixth and seventh. 

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Goodwin put one through the left side to give Minnesota Crookston life. Kiser responded and got two outs to keep the score 6-0. 

Roers made it nine-consecutive retired in relief in the top of the eighth. 

With two outs, Hjelle sent one to right center and motored to make it a triple in the bottom of the eighth. Kiser got Dykhoff to ground out to hold the tally at 6-0.

Minnesota Crookston was able to overcome the deficit in the bottom of the ninth, as they fell 6-0.

The Golden Eagles will play the University of Mary, the seven-seed, in an elimination game, Thursday, May 9 at 12 p.m., at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark, the home field of the Marauders.