WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team picked up their second-consecutive run-rule victory with a 13-3 defeat of Point Park University to culminate their Florida excursion Sunday, March 8 at Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Fla.

The Golden Eagles improved to 11-7 with the victory. They culminate their trip to the Sunshine State with a 5-2 mark. Minnesota Crookston also went 5-2 in non-conference tilts in Florida in 2024. Point Park dropped to 5-4 with the loss. The Pioneers are in their second season in NCAA Division II. They had 41 wins in 2025, and won the Mountain East Conference, but were unable to make it to the NCAA Tournament in their first season as members. Minnesota Crookston is 2-1 all-time against Point Park. They split games with Point Park in 2020 going 1-1 in Winter Haven, Fla. 

Braden Nelson (R-Fr., RHP, Minot, N.D.) picked up his first career win, as he continued to be dominant in relief. Nelson tossed four innings, allowing just one run on two hits. Nelson struck out five, and notched no walks. Nelson has a 1.42 ERA in 6.1 innings, all pitched during the Florida trip, striking out six and walking one.

Nate Benning (Jr., LHP, Browerville, Minn.) started and tossed two innings, allowing an earned run on one hit and two walks. Lake Hagen (Jr., RHP, Alexandria, Minn.) threw a scoreless inning, with no hits and one walk with one strikeout. Joey Connelly (Sr., LHP, Eden Prairie, Minn.) shut the door in the eighth, with one inning, no runs and a strikeout and a walk.

Joey Tedesco, Logan Exler, and Trevor Hancock all had scoreless outings on the bump. The loss went to Brandon Clifford, who allowed seven runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings. Clifford struck out three, and walked one.

Minnesota Crookston was lifted by Jackson Fliflet (R-So., C, Wahpeton, N.D.), who went 2-of-4, with three runs scored and three RBI. Cole Hebl (R-So., 1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) finished 2-of-5, with three RBI. Americo Sculati (R-Sr., OF, Golden Valley, Minn.) hit 2-of-3, with an RBI and a run scored. Connor Bushbaum (R-Sr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) finished 2-of-3, with three runs scored. Caden Kappes (Jr., 2B/SS, Wahpeton, N.D.) went 3-of-4, with an RBI and two runs scored.

Point Park took an early 1-0 lead in the first when Carlos de La Vega scored on an error. Trevor Jones stole home to extend the advantage to 2-0.

Minnesota Crookston responded in the top of the third. An Elias Leach (Fr., OF, Plymouth, Minn.) single drove in Kappes to cut the deficit to 2-1. Minnesota Crookston tied the game with a base-knock from Hebl, driving in Tori Uhlich (Jr., OF, Wahpeton, N.D.). The Golden Eagles took a 3-2 lead with a Sculati single to plate Leach.

The Golden Eagles put together a big inning in the fourth. Kappes singled, and Busbaum scored on an error to push the lead to 4-2. A Schumacher single brought home Fliflet to extend the advantage to 5-2. Kappes crossed on an error to widen the gap to 6-2. A two RBI single from Hebl culminated the inning 8-2, plating Leach, and Schumacher.

Minnesota Crookston added to their lead in the fifth. A Kappes RBI single sent in Bushbaum to make it 9-2. Uhlich then had an RBI fielder's choice, knocking in Fliflet to push the advantage to 10-2. 

Point Park got a run back in the sixth with a Jones RBI single, driving in De La Vega.

The Golden Eagles responded as Fliflet sent his team lead-tying seventh home run of the season, plating Bushbaum, and Sculati to make it 13-3.

Connelly was able to close the door in the eighth to preserve the 13-3 win.

Minnesota Crookston is set to get back into NSIC play with a 4-2 mark. They are slated to host Wayne State College Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15 with a three-game set with Wayne State.