Moorhead, Minn. -- Minnesota Crookston softball was forced to move their home opener an hour south of Crookston on Friday afternoon, playing Sioux Falls on the campus of MSU Moorhead.
Minnesota Crookston struggled with a big inning in game one, falling 9-1, but used an outstanding shutout performance from Charlotte Dombrowski (Sr., P, Valparaiso, Ind.) in a 3-0 win in game two.
Minnesota Crookston moves to 7-20 and 1-1 in the Northern Sun.
Game One
In game one, neither team would score a run in the first inning.
USF would get a run in the second to take an early 1-0 advantage.
In the first two innings, the maroon and gold left four runners on the basepaths.
The difference was the top of the third inning. USF would use walks and small ball to put up seven runs in the top of the third, taking an 8-0 advantage.
The Golden Eagles would get a run in the bottom of the fifth, as Emily Kalina (Fr., OF, Rice Lake, Wis.), who reached base three times in game one, would score on a wild pitch.
USF would add a run in the seventh, cruising to the 9-1 win.
The Golden Eagles had three hits in the first game, with Kalina, Valerie VanZant (Fr., IF, Salina, Kan.) and Jocelyn Hernandez (So., OF, Tracy, Calif.) each collecting a hit. The Golden Eagles left seven runners on base.
Hannah Trzinski (So., P/1B, Stevens Point, Wis.) fell to 3-3 on the year, giving up seven earned runs and walking seven.
Game Two
The Golden Eagles would come out swinging in the finale of the doubleheader.
Megan Surgenor (Fr., P/1B, Andover, Minn.) would crush a double the opposite way, giving the Golden Eagles a lead, scoring VanZant. Surgenor would come around to score on a Chayse Doering (So., OF, Shakopee, Minn.) RBI single for a 2-0 lead.
The game would be at a stalemate from the second through the top of the sixth innings.
Minnesota Crookston would get a much needed insurance run as Kalina would leg out an infield single, scoring Madeline Murray (So., C, Abilene, Kan.) for a 3-0 lead.
That three run advantage is all Dombrowski would need, getting the maroon and gold to the finish line in the 3-0 win.
The Golden Eagles finished with 10 hits, led by two from Irelyn Spencer (R-Jr., IF, Rapid City, S.D.) and Madisen Yandle (So., SS, Lakeville, Minn.).
Dombrowski moves to 2-1 on the season, going the distance and giving up just four hits, striking out four and walking four.
The shutout for the senior was the first of her Golden Eagle career.
What's Next
The Golden Eagles will head back to Moorhead tomorrow for two more conference games with Southwest Minnesota State. First pitch is set for 10 A.M.
