CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team dropped a pair to No. 8 Minnesota State University Saturday, April 19 in Crookston. The Golden Eagles fell short 5-2 in the opening game, and 7-0 in the finale of the three-game series.
The Golden Eagles dropped to 18-22 (15-15 NSIC) with the series loss to the Mavericks. Minnesota State improved to 35-4 (27-3 NSIC) with Saturday's victories. The Mavericks have won the last four in the series. The Golden Eagles are 4-6 against Minnesota State in their last 10 games. Minnesota State remains at the top of the NSIC table, while Minnesota Crookston is in a tie for seventh with Winona State University.
Game One
Minnesota State set the tone early with four runs in the second, and one in the third frame. The Golden Eagles attempted a late comeback in the last two innings, but came up short 5-2 in the first game Saturday.
Josh Dykhoff (Jr., RHP/DH, Wadena, Minn.) put the Golden Eagles in a good position to win, throwing his fourth complete game of the season. Dykhoff allowed four earned runs in seven innings, with six strikeouts, and a walk. Dykhoff is one of the top players in the country for strikeout/walk ratio with 59 strikeouts, and just five walks.
Nathan Culley, Minnesota State's ace, got the win, throwing a complete game, with two earned runs on five hits. Culley struck out nine, and walked four. He was very efficient early, throwing just six balls through three innings. Culley had a no-hitter going through four innings.
Kobe Senn (Sr., IF, Fargo, N.D.) broke up the no-hitter, going 1-of-3. Americo Sculati (R-Jr., OF, Golden Valley, Minn.) finished 1-of-3, with an RBI. Dylan Debilzen (Fr., OF, Parkers Prairie, Minn.) went 1-of-3, with an RBI, and a run scored. Connor Bushbaum (R-Jr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) was 1-of-2, while Aaron Wensloff (So., IF/OF, Roseau, Minn.) finished 1-of-3, with a run scored.
Zach Stroh paced the Mavericks, going 2-of-3, with an RBI and a run scored. The bottom five spots in the order went 5-of-14 at the plate, while the top four batters were 0-of-13 in the first game. Jake Berkland was 1-of-3, with an RBI, and a run scored, while Nick Baker was 1-of-3, with two RBI, and a run scored.
Minnesota Crookston jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second with a Berkland single, to bring around Lincoln Berry. In the next at-bat, Baker doubled in Berkland, and Logan Miller to push it to 3-0. They rounded out the second stanza when Baker scored on a throwing error to extend the advantage to 4-0.
A Stroh solo home run in the third widened the gap to 5-0 in favor of the Mavericks.
Dykhoff retired Minnesota State in order in the final four innings to give the Golden Eagle a chance. Minnesota Crookston loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth when Bushbaum was put on first on a hit by pitch that was reviewed and confirmed after the ball clearly hit his foot. However, Culley retired the next three batters in order as Minnesota Crookston stranded the bases loaded.
The Golden Eagles cut the deficit to 5-1 in the sixth with a Sculati triple to drive in Debilzen. In the seventh, Debilzen singled in Aaron Wensloff to cut it to 5-2. However, they would strand two as Culley got Dykhoff to strikeout to preserve the victory.
Game Two
The Golden Eagles were shut out 7-0 by the Mavericks in the second game of the day. Louis Magers got the win for Minnesota State, tossing five innings and allowing just three hits. He struck out five, and walked one. Jacob Gajic, and Ean DiPasquale also helped shutdown the Golden Eagles in the victory.
Nate Benning (So., LHP, Browerville, Minn.) fell to 3-3 after allowing three earned runs on seven hits. Benning struck out three, and had zero walks. Isaac Roers (R-Jr., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) allowed one run on four hits in 2.1 innings. He struck out three. Joey Connelly (Jr., LHP, Eden Prairie, Minn.) pitched a scoreless frame. Max Weber (Sr., RHP, St. Paul, Minn.) had an efficient outing, getting one out on one pitch. Caden Edwards (R-Sr., LHP, Duluth, Minn.) gave up one run on one hit. Nate Grafsgaard (R-Sr., RHP, Devils Lake, N.D.) pitched a scoreless ninth.
Dykhoff paced Minnesota Crookston, going 2-of-4. Senn finished 1-of-4, while Danny Wensloff (R-Sr., OF/C, Roseau, Minn.), and Debilzen went 1-of-3.
Matt Fleischhacker was 3-of-5, with one RBI and two runs scored from his leadoff position for the Mavericks. Aidan Byrne went 3-of-5, with two RBI, and a run scored. Ike Mezzenga finished 3-of-5, with three RBI.
Minnesota State took a 1-0 lead in the first when Magers doubled, driving in Byrne.
A Fleischhacker single in the second, plated Berkland to make it 2-0. Later in the frame, Mezzenga doubled in Fleischhacker, and Baker to push it to 4-0.
A Mezzenga single in the fourth, drove in Baker to make it 5-0.
In the sixth, Byrne singled in Fleischhacker to push it to 6-0. They rounded out the scoring in the eighth when Byrne doubled in Berkland.
The Golden Eagles remain at home to host St. Cloud State University Wednesday, April 23 at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.
