BRANDON, S.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team dropped a pair of close games to Southwest Minnesota State University Sunday, February 15 at Aspen Park in Brandon, S.D. The Mustangs scored four runs in the seventh and eighth innings of game one to triumph 9-6. In game two, Southwest Minnesota State University came from behind with a two-run walk-off home run from Josh Berreth delivering the 7-5 Mustang victory in the second game.

The Golden Eagles dropped to 3-4 (2-1 NSIC) with the series split, and Sunday sweep by the Mustangs. Game one was a conference game, while the second tilt counts as a non-conference game. Southwest Minnesota State is 2-2 (2-1 NSIC) after this weekend's split. Minnesota Crookston is 4-2 in their last six games against the Mustangs.

Game One
Kyle Odenbach (Sr., LHP, Thompson, N.D.) started the first game and allowed five runs on six hits in four innings. He struck out five, and walked one. Nate Heymann (Jr., RHP, Waimea, Hawai'i) fell to 1-1 with the loss in relief, allowing three runs on five hits in 2.2 innings. He struck out two, and walked one. Jaxon Hams (Fr., RHP, Thief River Falls, Minn.) pitched 1.1 innings, giving up one run on two hits.

Cody Wichmann started for Southwest Minnesota State, allowing four runs on eight hits in six innings. He struck out seven, and walked two. Dylan Webb earned the win in relief, giving up just one earned run on four hits in three stanzas.

Minnesota Crookston picked up 12 hits. Tori Uhlich (Jr., OF, Wahpeton, N.D.) went 2-of-5, with two runs scored. Jackson Fliflet (R-So., C, Wahpeton, N.D.) finished 3-of-4, with a run scored. Connor Bushbaum (R-Sr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) was 1-of-4, with three RBI and a run scored, including a home run. Aaron Wensloff (Jr., IF, Roseau, Minn.) went 1-of-3, with one RBI and two runs scored. 

Southwest Minnesota State raced out to the early advantage. Lane Moline laced a single, plating Evan Behn in the bottom of the second to make it 1-0. A two RBI Levi Lampert single later in the stanza, plated Moline, and Tyler Froland to push the advantage to 3-0. Lampert and Brock Woitalla executed a double steal to produce a Woittala run and extend the lead to 4-0.

The Mustangs stretched the lead to 5-0 in the third with a solo shot from Connor Davis.

Elias Leach (Fr., OF/LHP, Plymouth, Minn.) hit a single, scoring Aaron Wensloff to trim the deficit to 5-1 in the fourth.

In the fifth, Bushbaum belted one over the fence, scoring Fliflet and Uhlich to pull within 5-4.

The Golden Eagles knotted the game in the top of the seventh when Aaron Wensloff singled in Uhlich to tie it up 5-5. Later in the stanza, Cole Hebl (R-So., 1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) used a sacrifice fly to plate Aaron Wensloff and tilt the scales in Minnesota Crookston's favor with a 6-5 lead.

The Mustangs took a 7-6 edge in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run blast from Davis, bringing in Lampert. They extended their lead to 8-6 with a Froland single to plate Berreth.

They put a stamp on the win in the bottom of the eighth when Henry Hammrich crossed the plate on a Jared Cortez sacrifice fly.

Game Two
Aaron Bennett (R-Jr., RHP, Saginaw, Minn.) got the ball in the start for the Golden Eagles in game two. He allowed two runs on three hits in 4.2 innings, in one of Minnesota Crookston's best starts of the young season. Aaron Bennett struck out two, and walked two. Kaylor Chamberlain (So., RHP, Mankato, Minn.) came on in relief, and allowed one run on two hits. Derek Carpenter (R-Fr., RHP, Hatton, N.D.) allowed no runs on no hits in 0.1 innings. Jaxson Bennett (R-Jr., RHP, Saginaw, Minn.) had an extended relief outing, tossing 3.1 innings and allowing two runs on two hits. He struck out two, and walked two. Joey Connelly (Sr., LHP, Eden Prairie, Minn.) suffered the loss in relief, allowing two runs on two hits in 0.1 innings of work.

Tyler Nesheim started for the Mustangs, allowing three runs on four hits in 3.2 innings. Carson Bougher had an excellent relief outing, throwing four scoreless innings and striking out four. Ryan Dalager earned the win, tossing 1.1 innings allowing two runs on one hit.

Minnesota Crookston was limited to five hits in the second tilt. Jonah Norman (R-Jr., C, Winnipeg, Manitoba) went 2-of-3, with one run scored. Kyler Miller (So., SS, Grand Rapids, Minn.) finished 1-of-3, with a run scored. Uhlich was 1-of-4, with two RBI, while Bushbaum went 1-of-4.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to an early lead in the top of the second. Miller scored a wild pitch to give Minnesota Crookston a 1-0 advantage. A Uhlich double to left field, scored Norman and Caden Kappes (Jr., Wahpeton, N.D.) to push the lead to 3-0.

In the fifth frame, Lampert scored for the Mustangs on a wild pitch to trim the deficit to 3-1. Later in the fifth, a Berreth single brought in Behn and Tanner Rezny to knot the game 3-3.

The score remained 3-3 until the top of the ninth. Pinch-runner Jaiden Smith (R-So., IF, Aberdeen, S.D.) scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded to put Minnesota Crookston ahead 4-3. The bases still juiced, Kappes scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 5-3.

On the second out of the bottom of the ninth, Rezny hit a sacrifice fly to plate Lampert to trim the deficit to 5-4. A Nathan Wheeler single in the next at-bat scored Davis to tie the game 5-5. With two outs, Berreth delivered a two-run shot over the right center fence, to score Wheeler and walk-off with a 7-5 win for the Mustangs.

The Golden Eagles are set for a four-game set with Concordia University-St. Paul next weekend beginning Friday, February 20 at LaRoche Baseball Complex in Fort Scott, Kan.