Softball | 4/16/2025 11:32:00 AM
Crookston, Minn. – The Minnesota Crookston Softball team is set to play its first and final home games of the season this week. The Golden Eagles will welcome the University of Mary Marauders and the Minot State Beavers to town.
The Golden Eagles are two wins away from breaking the school's all-time wins record in a season, set back in 2023, when the maroon and gold won 18 games. The Golden Eagles are also three NSIC wins away from breaking the all-time conference win record of seven, set last season.
This weekend, the Golden Eagles will also honor seven fantastic seniors in between the first and second games on Friday against the University of Mary.
Haley Koch (Sr., C, Mondamin, Iowa),
Evie Stuck (Sr., P/OF, Papillion, Neb.),
Brittney Mengel (Sr., OF, Sullivan, Wis.),
Kailee Pollard (Sr., P, Marshalltown, Iowa),
Emerson Thompson (R-Jr., C, Lincoln, Neb.),
Whitnee Curry (Sr., IF, Lincoln, Neb.) and
Alexa Guilford (Jr., P, Crystal City, Manitoba) will all be honored on Friday for all they have given to the softball program.
How to Follow
Minnesota Crookston vs the University of Mary
Friday, April 18
12 P.M. / 2 P.M.
Watch Live --
https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
Live Stats --
https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Minnesota Crookston vs Minot State
Saturday, April 19
12 P.M. / 2 P.M.
Watch Live --
https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/
Live Stats --
https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Minnesota Crookston (17-28, 5-13 NSIC)
The Golden Eagles are set to host their first home games of the season, starting with a tough matchup against the Marauders. Historically, this has been a challenging series for the Golden Eagles, who hold a 6-24 record against the Marauders. Currently, the Maroon and Gold sit 13th in the NSIC standings with a 17-28 overall record and five wins in conference play. The Golden Eagles are looking to carry momentum from their current two-game win streak.
Freshman
Hannah Trzinski (Fr., P/1B, Stevens Point, Wis..) continues to shine at the plate, leading the team in both batting average and RBIs. She's hitting .333 with 17 RBIs. Fellow freshman
Chayse Doering (Fr., OF, Shakopee, Minn.) has also been consistent offensively, posting a .290 batting average with 31 hits in 107 at-bats. Doering leads the team in runs scored with 22.
Rayna French (So., C/OF, La Salle, Manitoba) and
Whitnee Curry (Sr., MIF, Lincoln, Neb.) have added depth to the lineup, hitting .284 and .280, respectively.
Irelyn Spencer (R-So., IF, Rapid City, S.D.) has contributed solid run production, driving in 16 RBIs this season. Spencer played a key role in the 4-2 win over the Wildcats last weekend, delivering a clutch two-RBI single. Another standout for the Maroon and Gold is
Madisen Yandle (Fr., SS, Lakeville, Minn.), who's batting .266. Yandle was key in the win over the Wildcats as well, ripping a triple to drive in
Haley Koch (Sr., C, Mondamin, Iowa) and later scoring on an error.
The Golden Eagle pitching staff has been impressive as of late, led by the reliable arms of
Alexa Guilford (Jr., P, Crystal City, Manitoba) and
Delaney Penner (Fr., P, Winkler, Manitoba). Guilford leads the team with a 2.62 ERA and holds a 5-2 record on the season. Penner has emerged as the go-to pitcher, logging 68.2 innings. She carries a 2.65 ERA and leads the team with six wins.
University of Mary Marauders (9-36, 2-18 NSIC)
The Golden Eagles will kick off their home stand against the University of Mary Marauders, who come into the matchup ranked 15th in the NSIC with a 2-18 conference record. Their only conference wins so far have come against the University of Sioux Falls and Wayne State.
At the plate, the Marauders have a few bright spots, with three players batting over .300. Chloe Robinson leads the way, hitting .345 with 20 hits in 58 at-bats. Janelle Bergmann is another key contributor, batting .303 and driving in a team-high 26 RBIs. Freshman Madison Hunter has also made an impact early in her collegiate career, batting an impressive .333.
In the circle, the Marauders have used a variety of pitchers throughout the season. Elyssa Verploegen has carried the bulk of the load, tossing 81 innings and holding an ERA of 6.17. Arria Johnson has also been a consistent presence, throwing 58.1 innings with an identical ERA of 8.56.
Minot State University Beavers (25-8, 13-7 NSIC)
The Beavers will wrap up their Minnesota road trip in Crookston and will look to grab decent results as the Golden Eagles finally get a true full weekend home field advantage for the first time this season.
The Beavers have a pair of power hitters in Taylor Smith (Jr., INF, Elko, Minn.) and Sara VanWickler (Jr., OF, Scottsdale, Ariz.), who both rank second in the conference with 6 triples in this season. Smith is hitting for .349, has 45 hits, and 17 RBI's in 41 games played for the white and red. Her teammate, VanWickler, is averaging .357, has 11 2B, and a team leading 27 runs in 40 games. This Beavers squad is rounded up with 5 players hitting over .300 with Anna Lacount (Jr., C, Kaukauna, Wis.) leading the charge with a .394 batting average.
Minot State's ace this year has been the season veteran, Regan Floyd (Sr., Susanville, Calif.), who sits fourth in shutouts in the conference with 4 shutouts. Her 1.97 ERA has guided her to a 13-6 record in 22 games with 11 complete games. She has pitched 128 innings in her senior season, which is most for the Beavers. Their closer, Calley Olson (Jr., Bloomer, Wis.), is sitting third in the conference with 5 saves in 18 games for the Beavers with a 3.60 ERA in 23.1 innings pitched.
The University of Minnesota Crookston softball team is set to wrap up their home schedule with a doubleheader showdown against Minot State University. Don't miss your chance to catch the final Golden Eagle action in Crookston this season at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Minnesota Crookston Softball Field.
