BISMARCK, N.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team fell 4-3 to Wayne State College to conclude a historic season Thursday, May 9 at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark in Bismarck, N.D. The Golden Eagles couldn't get their bats going, as they were defeated by the Wildcats. Minnesota Crookston stranded 11 runners in the tilt. 

Minnesota Crookston finishes their season 35-16 with Friday's loss. They split Friday, as they defeated University of Mary, but fell to Wayne State. The Wildcats improved to 28-22, and they will play Concordia University-St. Paul Friday at 3:30 p.m. in Mandan, N.D. The Golden Eagles notched back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time in program history. They made back-to-back NSIC Tournaments for the second time in program history. Wayne State was the one NSIC team Minnesota Crookston struggled with this season, going 1-4. 

Josh Dykhoff (So., RHP/DH, Wadena, Minn.) started and tossed seven innings in the loss, finishing the season 3-3. Dykhoff allowed two earned runs on nine hits. He struck out six, and walked one. Isaac Wensloff (So., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) pitched one scoreless inning, as did Nate Grafsgaard (R-Jr., RHP, Devis Lake, N.D.).

Nathan Anderson started for the Wildcats and went 2.1 innings, allowing two runs. Josh Kilzer pitched a scoreless 4.2 innings, with six strikeouts in the win. Cannon got the save, allowing one run in two innings.

Minnesota Crookston tallied five hits. Caden Headlee (Sr., OF, Fargo, N.D.) went 1-of-4, with an RBI. Cole Hebl (Fr., OF/1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) went 1-of-3, with a run scored. Mitch Goodwin (R-Sr., SS, Prior Lake, Minn.) was 1-of-3, with an RBI. Kobe Senn (R-So., IF, Fargo, N.D.) went 1-of-4, with an RBI.

With one out, McCafferty hit a single, and advanced on an error by Hebl. Dykhoff retired the final two batters of the frame to keep the tally 0-0. 

Satrom opened the bottom of the third with a lead-off triple to the wall in right center. Headlee doubled to left center to give Minnesota Crookston a 1-0 lead. Wayne State doubled up the Golden Eagles as Chase Douglas caught a line drive from Hjelle and dove to second base to get the out. 

Kyler Essink led the top of the second with a single for the Wildcats. Nate Cunningham sent an RBI double to the fence in center field to score Essink to tie the game 1-1. Dykhoff picked up a pair of outs to keep the tilt 1-1. 

Hebl hit a single to left field with one out for the Golden Eagles. Danny Wensloff walked with one out, to give Minnesota Crookston two on the base path. Senn sent one through the left side, driving in Hebl to give the Golden Eagles a 2-1 lead, however Wensloff tried to take third and was thrown out. 

Satrom and Giefer each reached on walks in the third, but Kilzer was able to mow down the rest of the order as the score remained at 2-1 in favor of the Golden Eagles. 

Trey Wells opened the top of fourth by reaching on an error by Satrom. Wells moved to third on a double from Essink. After a strikeout, Wells scored on a wild pitch to tie the contest 2-2. Dykhoff struck out Cunningham to get out two of the frame. Cam Madsen then delivered a double to center, scoring Essink to give Wayne State a 3-2 lead. Cade Lynam hit an infield single to keep the frame alive. Dykhoff got a groundout to get out of the inning. 

McCafferty opened the top of the fifth with a single. Colin Lynam delivered a double to ivy in right field to give Wayne State runners on second and third with no outs. Wells hit a sacrifice fly to right field to plate McCafferty and extend the lead to 4-2. Dykhoff was able to get two outs to get out of the frame with one run allowed.

The Golden Eagles put two on as Headlee walked, and Hjelle was hit by a pitch. Kilzer retired Dykhoff with a strikeout to keep the game 4-2 in favor of the Wildcats.

Dykhoff mowed down the Wildcats in order in the top of the sixth. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Goodwin was hit by a pitch to keep the inning going for UMN Crookston. However, Kilzer worked out of the situation to keep the score 4-2. 

The Wildcats had Colin Lynam reach on a walk, but Dykhoff was able to get out of the frame unscathed.

Headlee reached on a walk with one out to open the bottom of the seventh. Giefer grounded out, but the ball was dropped at second base to allow Headlee to stay on base. Kilzer got Hjelle to line out to center field to get out of the stanza.

Isaac Wensloff controlled the Wayne State lineup in the top of the eighth by taking down the Wildcats in order.

Dykhoff was pelted by a pitch to begin the bottom of the eighth. Cannon got Ben Goelz to strike out for the first out of the frame. Dykhoff moved to second on a passed ball. Danny Wensloff walked to give UMN Crookston a second base runner. Goodwin sent a ball over the center fielder for a double, plating Dykhoff to cut the deficit to 4-3. Cunningham caught a line drive from Senn for the second out of the stanza. Cannon struck out Satrom with two out to get out of further damage.

Grafsgaard sent the Wildcat batters packing in order to send the game to the bottom of the ninth with Minnesota Crookston trailing by one. Cannon mowed down the first two batters, leaving the last chance for the Golden Eagles as Hjelle. Cannon struck out Hjelle to advance the Wildcats to Friday. 

The game marks the last for 11 seniors who meant a great deal to the program. It is the last game for Hjelle, Jake Osowski, Headlee, Giefer, Nick Thompson, Ben Goelz, Tad Scherbenske, Christian Norby, Brody Sorenson, Blake Gulden, and Goodwin.