SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team picked up a Saturday split with No. 24 Augustana University. The Golden Eagles won the second game, 12-6, but fell 16-2 in the first game.
Minnesota Crookston sits at 8-13 (5-6 NSIC) following the split. Augustana is 13-7 (8-3 NSIC) after the split. The Golden Eagles are 3-2 in their last five games with the Vikings.
Game One
Minnesota Crookston fell 16-2 in the first game, as the Vikings had 13 hits in the second game of the series, and first Saturday.
Josh Dykhoff (Jr., RHP, Wadena, Minn.) ran into his first trouble on the mound this season, allowing six runs on six hits in 2.2 innings. He struck out two, and walked one. Dykhoff dropped to 4-1 with the loss. Kaylor Chamberlain (Fr., RHP, Mankato, Minn.) allowed four runs on three hits in 0.1 innings. Aaron Bennett (R-So., RHP, Saginaw, Minn.) gave up two earned runs in 0.1 innings. Eli Denisen (R-So., LHP, Winona, Minn.) had a strong outing, throwing 1.2 innings and allowing no runs on one hit. Sean Felker (Fr., RHP, Audubon, Minn.) pitched a scoreless 0.1 innings.
Ashton Michek got the win for the Vikings, throwing six innings. He allowed two runs on six hits. Michek struck out seven, and walked two. Drew Ball pitched a scoreless frame of relief.
The Golden Eagles had six hits. Brock Larsen (R-Jr., C/1B, Blaine, Minn.) was 1-of-2, with an RBI. Sawyer Satrom (Sr., IF, Portland, N.D.) finished 1-of-3, with a run scored. Connor Bushbaum (R-Jr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) was 1-of-3, while Dylan Debilzen (Fr., OF, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) went 1-of-4.
The Vikings jumped onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when Bjorn Lind singled in Trevor Winterstein to make it 1-0.
Augustana broke the game wide open in the bottom of the third with nine runs. A Jack Hines triple led off the scoring in the frame, bringing in Lind, and Winterstein. Hines scored on a Sam Siegel groundout to widen the gap to 4-0. Troy Berg came around on a wild pitch to bush the advantage to 5-0. The Vikings extended their advantage to 7-0 with a Jason Axelberg home run, plating Joshua Koskie. Winterstein drove another home run over the fence, scoring three runs, including Joe Kolbeck, and Jake Lundquist to extend the lead to 10-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Koskie singled in Nate Soelter to make it 11-0. Cal Schmelzle later scored on a fielder's choice, while Koskie came in on an error to widen the gap to 13-0.
Minnesota Crookston got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth when Larsen grounded out, scoring Jonah Norman (R-So., C, Winnipeg, Manitoba) to cut the deficit to 13-1. The Golden Eagles cut the deficit to 13-2 with a Kobe Senn (Sr., IF, Fargo, N.D.) groundout, plating Satrom.
Augustana added a run in the bottom of the sixth when Nate Davis was walked with the bases loaded, plating Schmelzle to make it 14-2. A Bjorn Lind single drove in Kolbeck, and Koskie to make it 16-2. The Golden Eagles were able to overcome the deficit, falling 16-2.
Game Two
Kyle Odenbach (Jr., LHP, Thompson, N.D.) threw a gem for the Golden Eagles. He tossed six innings, allowing one earned run on two hits. Odenbach struck out three and walked just one, picking up his first win, moving to 1-3 in 2025. Nate Grafsgaard (R-Sr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.) pitched two innings of relief, allowing four runs on three hits. Max Weber (R-Sr., RHP, St. Paul, Minn.) pitched a scoreless ninth.
The loss went to J.D. Hennen, who allowed four runs in 5.2 innings.
Debilzen guided Minnesota Crookston, going 3-of-5, with two RBI, and a run scored. Dykhoff finished 2-of-3, with an RBI, and two runs scored. Senn was 1-of-3, with three RBI, and a run scored. Bushbaum was 2-of-4, with two RBI, and two runs scored, while Kodi Miller went 2-of-4, with two RBIs, and two runs scored.
The Vikings took a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the second when Troy Berg scored on a Ryan Clementi popout.
The Golden Eagles picked up the equalizer when Debilzen doubled, scoring Kyler Miller (Fr., IF, Grand Rapids, Minn.).
Minnesota Crookston broke through for three runs in the top of the sixth. Kodi Miller (Sr., C, Grand Rapids, Minn.) crossed the plate on a Dykhoff infield single. With Sutton now on the mound, Senn delivered a two RBI single, scoring Sculati, and Satrom to extend the lead to 4-1.
Augustana got a run back in the bottom of the sixth when Lind hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Cole Goeser to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Minnesota Crookston notched a supplementary run in the top of the seventh when Debilzen doubled down the line, plating Bushbaum to push the advantage to 5-2.
Bushbaum singled through the right side in the top of the eighth, scoring Dykhoff to give a 6-2 cushion in favor of the Golden Eagles. Kodi Miller widened the gap to 8-2 with a two-run home run, his second of the season, scoring Bushbaum to extend the lead to 9-2.
Augustana cut the lead to 9-3 in the bottom of the eighth when Winterstein doubled, bringing around Siegel. The Vikings pulled within 9-4 when Koskie scored on a Lind groundout. Augustana trimmed the deficit to 9-5 with a Hines double, plating Winterstein. Axelberg singled to bring in Hines to pull the Vikings within 9-6, but was thrown out at second trying to extend the single to a double.
Minnesota Crookston put two on to lead off the top of the ninth with a Debilzen single, and a Satrom walk. Both of the Golden Eagle runners advanced on a Sculati sacrifice. Dykhoff intentionally walked to load the bags. Senn was walked with the bases loaded, bringing in Debilzen to make it 10-6. Satrom scored on a wild pitch to extend the advantage to 11-6. Dykhoff came across on a wild pitch to push the lead to 12-6, Senn was out on the play trying to take an extra base.
Berg was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the ninth for Augie. Weber got Clementi to ground into a double play to get one out away from finishing the tilt. Weber got a Siegel groundout to pick up the 12-6 win.
The Golden Eagles play the finale with the Vikings Sunday, March 23 at 12 p.m., in Sioux Falls, S.D.
