MARSHALL, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team earned a split Saturday, April 12 at Legion Field in Marshall, Minn., against Southwest Minnesota State University.
The Golden Eagles fell 1-0 in the first game, but bounced back for a 7-5 win in the second tilt Saturday. Minnesota Crookston has one four-consecutive game twos of doubleheaders. The Golden Eagles improved to 15-19 (12-12 NSIC) with the victory. Southwest Minnesota State sits at 20-11 (15-9 NSIC) with the split. The Mustangs are tied for third in the NSIC table, while Minnesota Crookston is in a three-way tie for seventh place.
Game One
The Golden Eagles were edged 1-0 when the Mustangs scored in the bottom of the first. Josh Dykhoff (Jr., RHP/DH, Wadena, Minn.) pitched a complete game of six innings, allowing just one run on four hits. Dykhoff struck out eight, and had zero walks. Dykhoff has been in the top four of NCAA Division II in strikeout/walk ratio. He has 53 strikeouts, and just four walks.
Minnesota Crookston had four hits in the first tilt. Kyler Miller (Fr., IF, Grand Rapids, Minn.) paced the squad with 2-of-2. Aaron Wensloff (So., IF/OF, Roseau, Minn.) went 1-of-3, as did Americo Sculati (R-Jr., OF, Golden Valley, Minn.).
The win for Southwest Minnesota State went to Ryan Chmielewski, who pitched a shutout in 6.1 innings. He allowed no runs on three hits. Chmielewski struck out five, and had zero walks. Cameron Jensen earned his fourth save of the season.
The lone run in the game came in the bottom of the first when Levi Lampert launched a leadoff home run over the fence to make it 1-0, and the Mustangs did not look back.
Game Two
Minnesota Crookston edged Southwest Minnesota State 7-5 propelled by a pair of Dykhoff home runs. Dykhoff has belted a team-high 11 home runs, including five since April 6.
Kyle Odenbach (Jr., LHP, Thompson, N.D.) started the game and tossed five innings, allowing three runs on four hits. Odenbach struck out four, and notched one walk. Isaac Roers (R-Jr., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) picked up the victory in relief, notching one run in 1.1 innings. Caden Edwards (R-Sr., LHP, Duluth, Minn.) pitched 0.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits. Nate Grafsgaard (R-Sr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.) picked up his team-leading sixth save of the season, in a two inning effort. Grafsgaard notched his first save since March 27. He is third all-time in career saves, and is now tied for fifth for single-season saves.
Dykhoff guided the U of M Crookston at the plate, going 2-of-4, with three runs scored, and three RBI. Sawyer Satrom (Sr., IF, Portland, N.D.) went 2-of-4, with one run scored. Danny Wensloff (R-Sr., OF/C, Roseau, Minn.) was 1-of-3, with two RBI, while Sculati went 1-of-3, with an RBI, and a run scored.
The loss for the Mustangs went to Austin Dent, who allowed one earned run in after facing three batters.
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 advantage as Dykhoff lifted one over the fence, scoring Satrom in the top of the first.
An Owen Latendresse single to center field, plating Jared Cortez to trim it to 2-1. Later in the frame, Cory Bantam crossed the plate on a wild pitch. To cap off the frame, Carter Lang delivered with a sacrifice fly to score Latendresse to give the Mustangs a 3-2 lead.
Minnesota Crookston evened the tilt 3-3 in the fifth when Sculati scored on a Dylan Debilzen (Fr., OF, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) fielder's choice.
In the sixth, Dykhoff hit his 11th home run of the season, and second of the game, giving the Golden Eagles a 4-3 advantage. Later in the sixth, a Danny Wensloff single scored Aaron Wensloff to extend the lead to 5-3.
In the sixth, the Mustangs utilized a Lang single to score Cortez to trim it to 5-4.
Minnesota Crookston padded their lead in the seventh. Sculati was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to plate Debilzen to widen the gap to 6-4. Danny Wensloff walked with the bases loaded, bringing in Dykhoff to extend it to 7-4.
Southwest Minnesota State cut it to 7-5 in the eighth when Latendresse doubled in Bantam. The Mustangs left two runners stranded to keep the game at 7-5. Grafsgaard retired Southwest Minnesota State in order to preserve the 7-5 victory.
Minnesota Crookston concludes their series with the Mustangs Sunday, April 13 at 12 p.m., in Marshall, Minn.
