BRANDON, S.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team earned a NSIC sweep of Southwest Minnesota State University with a pair of victories Saturday, February 14 at Aspen Park in Brandon, S.D. The Golden Eagles edged the Mustangs 6-5 in game one, and 17-15 in the second tilt. Southwest Minnesota State stranded the game-winning run on first in game one, and the game-winning run was at the plate in the second contest.

Minnesota Crookston improved to 3-2 (2-0 NSIC) with Saturday's sweep. Southwest Minnesota State opens the season with a 2-0 mark. Minnesota Crookston has won four-consecutive games in the series against the Mustangs. Southwest Minnesota State's last win in the series came April 12, 2025 in Marshall.

Game One
Isaac Roers (R-Sr., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) started and tossed 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits. Roers struck out four, and had zero walks. Minnesota Crookston was led by their bullpen pitching. Carsen Barta (R-So., RHP, Fargo, N.D.) tossed a scoreless outing, while Ashton Detloff (Fr., LHP, Perham, Minn.) improved to 1-0 with a scoreless 1.2 innings, striking out two and walking one.

Minnesota Crookston had six hits in the win. Americo Sculati (R-Sr., OF, Golden Valley, Minn.) went 1-of-4, with two RBI and one run scored on a home run. Aaron Wensloff (Jr., IF, Roseau, Minn.) was 1-of-3, with a run scored. Elias Leach (Fr., OF/LHP, Plymouth, Minn.) hit 1-of-1 with two runs scored. Caden Kappes (Jr., 2B/SS, Wahpeton, Minn.) was 1-of-2, with two RBI.

The loss for Southwest Minnesota State went to Jameson Quinn, who tossed 6.2 innings, allowing six runs on six hits. He struck out three, and walked four. 

Sculati opened the scoring in the top of the first with a two-run blast over the center field fence, plating Aaron Wensloff. In the top of the second, Kappes singled to left center, plating Leach, and Kyler Miller (So., SS, Grand Rapids, Minn.) to extend the lead to 4-0

Southwest Minnesota State cut the lead to 4-2 with a two-run Connor Davis home run, bringing in Tyler Froland in the bottom of the second.

In the top of the fourth, Jackson Fliflet (R-So., C, Wahpeton, N.D.) used a sacrifice fly to score Leach and push the advantage to 5-2.

The Mustangs made a push in the bottom of the fourth. Evan Behn singled up the middle, scoring Henry Hammrich to cut the lead to 5-3. Levi Lampert scored on a wild pitch to pull within 5-4.

Southwest Minnesota State knotted the game 5-5 in the fifth with a Froland sacrifice fly to plate Jared Cortez.

Minnesota Crookston took the lead 6-5 in the seventh when Tori Uhlich (Jr., OF, Wahpeton, N.D.) scored on a wild pitch. Southwest Minnesota State had a chance in the bottom of the seventh. Lampert was hit by a pitch, and Hammrich walked to put the game-winning run on first. Detloff got Behn to fly out to preserve the 6-5 win.

Game Two

Minnesota Crookston's offensive prowess continues to be on display, as they scored 17 runs and hit four home runs in the 17-15 win. Leach was dominant, blasting three home runs in the victory. Southwest Minnesota State scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth, and had two runners stranded, as the Golden Eagles hung on for the 17-15 victory.

Nate Benning (Jr., LHP, Browerville, Minn.) started and went two innings, allowing five runs on five hits. He struck out three, and walked one. Isaac Wensloff (Sr., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) got the win, tossing five innings and allowing four earned runs on five hits. He struck out nine, and had no walks. Bodhi Mossestad (Fr., RHP, Thief River Falls, Minn.) was effective in relief, throwing a scoreless inning with a strikeout and a walk. Lake Hagen (Jr., RHP, Alexandria, Minn.) allowed four runs on four hits. Joey Connelly (Sr., LHP, Eden Prairie, Minn.) obtained the save, throwing a scoreless ninth with one strikeout.

The loss went to Ryan Bell, who allowed five earned runs on nine hits. Bell went three innings, striking out four and walking one.

In the top of the first, Cole Hebl (R-So., 1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) singled up the middle, scoring Uhlich and Connor Bushbaum (R-Sr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) to give the Golden Eagles a 2-0 edge. Later in the frame, Leach hit a two-run shot to score Hebl and widen the gap to 4-0.

In the bottom of the first, Davis doubled to right center, bringing in Lampert. A Carter Lang single scored Davis to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Minnesota Crookston added to their lead in the second stanza. A Bushbaum single plated Kappes to make it 5-2. Aaron Wensloff singled through the right side, scoring Uhlich to extend the advantage to 6-2. Bushbaum scored on a wild pitch to lengthen the lead 7-2.

Southwest Minnesota State made a dent in the bottom of the second. Cortez hit a two-run blast, plating Hammrich to trim the gap to 7-4. A Lampert solo home run brought the lead down to 7-5.

In the third, Leach launched his second home run of the game, pushing the lead to 8-5. A Uhlich double down the line, plated Miller to push it to 9-5.

In the bottom of the third, Tanner Rezny singled down the line, driving in Davis. Josh Berreth scored on a throwing error to trim the deficit to 9-7. A Nathan Wheeler sacrifice fly scored Rezny to pull the Mustangs within 9-8.

In the fourth, Aaron Wensloff blasted a solo home run, extending the lead to 10-8.

Minnesota Crookston added to their lead in the fifth when Bushbaum singled in Fliflet.

In the top of the sixth, Leach slammed out his third home run of the game, scoring Hebl and extending the advantage to 13-8. A Kappes double down the line, plated Miller to make it 14-8. Kappes scored on a throwing error, to push the lead to 15-8.

In the seventh, Hebl utilized a sacrifice fly to score Aaron Wensloff. Later in the frame, Miller singled down the line and scored Sculati to push the lead to 17-8.

Southwest Minnesota State made an initial charge in the seventh. A two-run home run from Davis, scored Behn. Berreth hit a solo home run to bring the lead down to 17-10. 

The Mustangs made a charge in the bottom of the ninth. Caden King singled to center field, scoring Behn. A Rezny double, brought in Berreth and Davis to trim the deficit to 17-14. A Cortez sacrifice fly plated King to bring it down to 17-15. Connelly came on and retired three-straight outs to keep two runners stranded and provide Minnesota Crookston a 17-15 win.

The Golden Eagles wrap up the four-game set by taking on Southwest Minnesota State Sunday, February 15 at 12 and 2 p.m., in Brandon, S.D.