Softball | 2/12/2025 2:26:00 PM

Sioux Center, Iowa – Following a 2-4 showing two weeks ago at the Branson Lead-Off Classic in Branson, Mo., Minnesota Crookston softball is back in action this weekend at the ASB Sports Complex Softball Classic, hosted by Dordt University. It'll be a quick trip for the Golden Eagles, who will play the host school on Friday at 1 P.M., and then Mount Marty University shortly after. On Saturday, the Golden Eagles wrap-up the classic with a pair of early morning games against Northwestern College of Iowa and Briar Cliff University.
 
Minnesota Crookston has two wins on the season, both coming in the come-from-behind and walk-off variety. Minnesota Crookston walked-off Northwestern Oklahoma State for their first win of the season and followed that up by scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat former NSIC foe, Upper Iowa, 6-5.
 
How to follow
ASB Classic Website
Friday
Minnesota Crookston @ Dordt University
1 P.M.
Sioux Center, Iowa
East Field
Live Stats -- https://godordt.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Watch Live -- https://dordtdefendernetwork.com/
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Mount Marty University (S.D.)
3 P.M.
Sioux Center, Iowa
East Field
Live Stats -- https://godordt.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Watch Live -- https://dordtdefendernetwork.com/
 
Saturday
Minnesota Crookston vs Northwestern College (Iowa)
9 A.M.
Sioux Center, Iowa
West Field
Live Stats -- https://godordt.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Watch Live -- https://dordtdefendernetwork.com/
 
Minnesota Crookston vs Briar Cliff University
11 A.M.
Sioux Center, Iowa
West Field
Live Stats -- https://godordt.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Watch Live -- https://dordtdefendernetwork.com/
 
Minnesota Crookston (2-4)
The Golden Eagle softball team is set for its second tournament of the season, traveling to Sioux Center, Iowa, for four games—two on Friday and two on Saturday. They are coming off the Branson Lead-Off Classic, where they opened the season 2-4. This weekend, they will face Dordt University (Iowa), Mount Marty University (S.D.), Northwestern College (Iowa), and Briar Cliff University (Iowa).
 
The Golden Eagles are led offensively by Chayse Doering (Fr., OF, Shakopee, Minn.), who is hitting .462 with three RBIs and two stolen bases. Hannah Trzinski (Fr., P, Stevens Point, Wis.) follows with a .400 average, two RBIs, and two runs scored, while Whitnee Curry (Sr., MIF/OF, Lincoln, Neb.) is batting .375 to start the season.
 
In the circle, the Golden Eagles are led by Charlotte Dombrowski (Jr., P/OF, Valparaiso, Ind.), who is 1-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 12 strikeouts over 10.2 innings pitched. Hannah Trzinski (Fr., P, Stevens Point, Wis.) has thrown 6.0 innings with a 4.67 ERA, while Sydney McMurdie (Fr., P/UT, Twin Falls, Idaho) earned a win last weekend, going 1-0 over 9.2 innings pitched.
 
Dordt University (6-3)
The Golden Eagles travel to Sioux Center Iowa where they play 4 games in the ASB Sports Complex Softball Classic. They kick off the tournament against the Dordt Defenders. Historically, the Defenders have had the edge in this matchup, leading the all-time series 4-2. However, in their last meeting back in 2022, the Golden Eagles came out on top with a 7-3 victory. This season, Dordt has already played nine games, posting a solid 6-3 record.
 
The Defenders have already faced two NSIC teams this year, picking up a hard-fought 4-3 win over the University of Sioux Falls before dropping a pair of five-inning games to Wayne State. In a recent game against Peru State, the Defenders' offense came alive with nine runs on 13 hits. Brooke Rule had a standout performance, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Annabelle Hensley added a 2-for-5 effort that included her first career home run.
 
At the plate, Rule and Chloe Kreuz have been leading the charge, both hitting an impressive .481 on the season with 13 hits apiece. Rule has also driven in six runs, while Kreuz has added four RBIs. Power hitter Lauren Steenstra has been a major threat, launching three home runs so far.
 
Kreuz isn't just dangerous with the bat, she's also a key player in the circle. In 32 innings pitched, she has posted a 3.50 ERA while holding opponents to a .264 batting average.
 
Mount Mary (1-3)
The Golden Eagles' second game of the tournament features a matchup against the Mount Mary Lancers. These two teams have only met twice before, both games taking place last season. They split the series, with the Golden Eagles dropping the first game 6-4 before bouncing back with a hard-fought 7-6 win in the second. This year, the Lancers come in with a 1-3 record, with their lone win coming against Peru State.
 
Looking back at last year's matchup, Megan Toplovich played a key role for the Lancers in game one, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and two RBIs. In game two, Olivia Valdez stepped up with a 2-for-4 performance, driving in three runs. 
 
This season, junior Kayleen Jacinto has been the spark for Mount Mary's offense, hitting an impressive .636 with seven hits. In their win over Peru State, Alyssa Sosky helped lead the way, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
 
McKenzie Gray leads the pitching staff. She was dominant in their win over Peru, throwing a complete-game two-hitter in just five innings. She struck out four and walked only two, keeping the Peru State lineup in check. Gray has made one other appearance this season.
 
Northwestern College (Iowa) (8-0)
The Golden Eagles are set to take on a tough opponent in the Northwestern College Raiders, who enter the matchup ranked No. 11 in the NAIA Coaches Poll. The Raiders have been dominant so far, starting the season with a perfect 8-0 record, including a win over NSIC member Sioux Falls in their season opener. Historically, Northwestern has won all four previous matchups, with the last game taking place in 2021.
 
Last season, the Raiders put together a 50-7 record, earning a spot in the NAIA Tournament and setting a program record for wins in a single season. The program has a long history of excellence. Head coach Shane Bouman continues to build on that. This past weekend, Bouman secured his 200th career victory with wins over Mount Mercy and MidAmerica Nazarene.
 
Northwestern's offense has been hot. There are four players hitting over .400. Leading the way is Gwen Mikkelson, hitting .480 with a team-high 12 hits. Right behind her is Sydney Jacobs, hitting an impressive .476. Jacobs has been a force at the plate, leading the team in runs scored (10) and total bases (17) while posting a slugging percentage of .810.
 
In the circle, the Raiders have a deep pitching staff. This is led by Ellie Jacobson, who has posted a 0.36 ERA in five appearances over 19.2 innings. Kate Kralik and Abby Flanagan have also been reliable arms, with ERAs of 1.91 and 1.95, respectively. Kralik has made seven appearances so far, while Flanagan has made six.
 
Briar Cliff University (0-0)
The Golden Eagles will close out the classic with a matchup against Briar Cliff University. The Chargers have yet to play a game this season but are coming off the 2024 season in which they finished 20-23, highlighted by a win over top-ranked Northwestern. The last time the 
The Golden Eagles and Chargers faced off nearly two decades ago, back in 2006, which was a win for the Chargers.
 
Offensively, Briar Cliff brings back a key playmaker in all-conference selection Karina Cupples. Last season, Cupple hit .385 with 50 hits and 31 runs scored, making her a crucial part of the lineup. She also made an impact defensively, posting a .940 fielding percentage with 75 putouts.
 
In the circle, the Chargers will turn to senior Georgia Krohn, who had 24 appearances, 19 starts, and a 10-8 record last season. Krohn racked up 78 strikeouts over 118.2 innings pitched. They also return Grace Batcheller, who made 19 appearances with 15 starts.