AUBURNDALE, Fla. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team opened their time at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational with a 3-1 loss to Northwood University Saturday, February 28 at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Fla. The game was a pitcher's duel and the lowest combined scoring game Minnesota Crookston has played this season.
Northwood was 40-22 in 2025 and made it to the NCAA Division II World Series in Cary, N.C. The Timberwolves improved to 2-6 with the win. Northwood has won the last two games in the series, after Minnesota Crookston won the first three tilts in the series. Minnesota Crookston dropped to 6-6 with Saturday's loss. Their first in a seven-game excursion in Florida.
The potent Golden Eagle offense was held to five hits Saturday. Minnesota Crookston is still hitting .321 on the season, with 106 runs scored, 28 doubles, 20 home runs, and 86 RBI.
Isaac Wensloff (Sr., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) kept the Golden Eagles in it with a strong performance on the mound. The reliable righty tossed six innings, allowing just two runs on eight hits. He struck out three, and had zero walks. Isaac Roers (R-Sr., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) had a strong outing in the bullpen. He went three scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, with three strikeouts and no walks.
Senior Tyler Sager got the win on the mound for the Timberwolves. He threw seven innings, allowing an unearned run on five hits. Sager struck out three, and walked two. Connor Kelly earned the save, his second of the season, throwing two frames and allowing no runs, on no hits, with three strikeouts.
At the plate, leadoff hitter Tori Uhlich (Jr., OF, Wahpeton, N.D.) paced the Golden Eagles, hitting 2-of-4. Connor Bushbaum (R-Sr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) went 1-of-4, with a run scored. Aaron Wensloff (Jr., IF, Roseau, Minn.) hit 1-of-3, while Cole Hebl (R-So., 1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) was 1-of-4.
Northwood took an early 1-0 lead when Ben DeVries drove in Anthony Manganello on a sacrifice fly to right field in the first stanza. A Brennan Hallman single to center field plated Conor Duryea to extend the advantage to 2-0 in the first.
The Golden Eagles trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the first when Aaron Wensloff hit an infield single, and Bushbaum scored on a throwing error by the second baseman.
The Timberwolves extended their lead to 3-1 in the fourth when Mason Brunworth scored on a Evan Kavalick RBI groundout.
The Golden Eagles were unable to overcome the two-run deficit, falling 3-1.
Minnesota Crookston continues their Florida trip Sunday, March 1 against Davis & Elkins College at Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Fla.
