TAMPA, FLA. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team took down No. 15 Ashland University Saturday, March 1 at the University of Tampa Baseball Field. The Golden Eagles had great production from their bats with 12 runs on 16 hits. In addition, their pitchers were able to control the bats of the Eagles to pick up Saturday's ranked win.
Minnesota Crookston has three ranked wins previously, including a victory over No. 10 Rollins College in 2023, a win over No. 19 Augustana University in 2021, and a win over No. 25 Seton Hill University in 2018. The Golden Eagles improved to 5-4 (3-1 NSIC) with Saturday's win. The Ashland Eagles dropped to 4-3 with the loss.
Josh Dykhoff (Jr., RHP/DH, Wadena, Minn.) started the game, and improved to 2-0. He pitched six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. The runs were the first allowed by Dykhoff in three outings. He struck out three, and had zero walks. Isaac Wensloff (Jr., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) relieved Dykhoff in the seventh stanza, tossing two innings. Isaac Wensloff put up a zero, on just two hits, with one strikeout. Caden Edwards (R-Sr., LHP, Duluth, Minn.) pitched the ninth innings, allowing no runs on one walk.
Cam Scott started for Ashland on the bump, allowing six runs on five hits in two stanzas in the loss. Ethan Stevens gave up five runs, on seven hits in three frames.
Minnesota Crookston looked to Dykhoff, who was 2-of-6, with four RBIs, and two runs scored. Connor Bushbaum (R-Jr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) was 2-of-6, with two RBIs, and a run scored. Americo Sculati (R-Jr., OF, Golden Valley, Minn.) finished 3-of-5, with a run scored. Dylan Debilzen (Fr., OF, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) continued his fantastic start to his career, batting 3-of-4, with an RBI, and two runs scored.
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Debilzen scored on a Dykhoff groundout.
Minnesota Crookston notched a big scoring inning with seven runs in the top of the third. Dykhoff opened up the scoring with a double to center field to plate Sawyer Satrom (Sr., IF, Portland, N.D.) to make it 2-0. With the bases loaded, Aaron Wensloff (So., IF, Roseau, Minn.) walked to score Dykhoff. The Golden Eagles pushed their advantage to 4-0 with a Bushbaum single to right field, plating Senn. With the bases loaded, Brock Larsen singled to score Sculati and extend the advantage to 5-0. Aaron Wensloff scored on a wild pitch to add to the U of M Crookston's tally. Caden Kappes (So., IF, Wahpeton, N.D.) singled in Bushbaum to extend the advantage to 7-0. A Debilzen sacrifice fly plated Larsen to put the tally at 8-0 at the conclusion of the frame.
The Golden Eagles added a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Dykhoff doubled down the line, bringing in Debilzen to push the lead to 9-0. Dykhoff came in on a Senn single to widen the gap to 10-0. Minnesota Crookston extended their advantage to 11-0 when Bushbaum singled in Senn.
Ashland got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth with a Ben Peltz two-run shot over the right field fence, scoring Collin Overholt.
Minnesota Crookston loaded up the bases with nobody out in the top of the sixth. The Golden Eagles pushed the lead to 12-2 when Dykhoff reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Larsen. However, Ashland's Seth Witt pitched out of the jam to keep the tally at 12-2.
The Eagles got two more runs back in the bottom of the sixth when Jeremiah Cangelosi hit a two-run shot over the left field fence, bringing in himself, and Max Carson to cut the deficit to 12-4. The Golden Eagles took the game 12-4 over the Ashland Eagles.
Minnesota Crookston faces No. 3 Tampa Monday, March 3 at 5 p.m. C.T., in Tampa, Fla.
