MARSHALL, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team earned a 9-4 victory over Southwest Minnesota State University propelled by the first two career home runs from Kyler Miller (Fr., IF, Grand Rapids, Minn.), who had a banner day at the plate for the Golden Eagles.

Minnesota Crookston improved to 16-19 (13-12 NSIC) with the series win on the road at Legion Field in Marshall, Minn. The Golden Eagles won the series 2-1, their first series win since Wayne State College (Feb. 22-24). Southwest Minnesota State dropped to 20-12 (15-10 NSIC) with Sunday's loss. The Golden Eagles moved into seventh place in the NSIC standings. Southwest Minnesota State dropped to a tie for fourth place. Five games currently separate third place and a tie for 10th place, as the final weeks of the season will be vital in deciding the NSIC Tournament Field.

Nate Benning (So., LHP, Browerville, Minn.) started and got the win, allowing no runs on one hit in five innings. Benning struck out six, and walked one. Isaac Roers (R-Jr., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) allowed two runs in 0.2 innings. Max Weber (Sr., RHP, St. Paul, Minn.) pitched a scoreless 0.1 innings. Joey Connelly (Jr., LHP, Maple Grove, Minn.) notched a scoreless one inning. Caden Edwards (R-Sr., LHP, Duluth, Minn.) tossed a scoreless inning, as did Nate Grafsgaard (R-Sr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.). 

The loss went to Carter Petron, who allowed three earned runs on five hits in six stanzas. 

Kyler Miller propelled the Golden Eagles, going 3-of-4, with three RBIs, and three runs scored, including his first two career home runs. Dylan Debilzen (Fr., OF, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) went 2-of-5, with a run scored. Josh Dykhoff (Jr., RHP/DH, Wadena, Minn.) went 2-of-4, with an RBI, and two runs scored. Dykhoff is 6-of-15, hitting .400, with seven runs scored, and eight RBI in the last four tilts.

Kyler Miller led off the scoring in the top of the third with a solo shot to make it 1-0. Kobe Senn (Sr., IF, Fargo, N.D.) was then hit by a pitch with the bases full, driving in Dykhoff. An Aaron Wensloff (So., IF/OF, Roseau, Minn.) infield single plated Americo Sculati (R-Jr., OF, Golden valley, Minn.) to extend the lead to 3-0.

In the top of the sixth, Kyler Miller smashed his second home run, driving in Aaron Wensloff to widen the gap to 5-0.

In the bottom of the sixth, Southwest Minnesota State's Henry Hammrich crossed on a groundout by Jared Cortez to trim the deficit to 5-1. Levi Lampert scored on a Cory Bantam groundout to cut it to 5-2. Later in the sixth, Owen Latendresse scored on a passed ball to trim the deficit to 5-3.

The score remained at 5-3 until the top of the ninth. A Dykhoff single drove in Kyler Miller to make it 6-3. Later in the stanza, Connor Bushbaum (R-Jr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) singled to plate Debilzen to extend the advantage to 8-3. Minnesota Crookston ended up winning 9-3 after a Senn single, driving in Bushbaum.

Minnesota Crookston heads to Bemidji State University Tuesday, April 15 at !:30 and 3:30 p.m.