MANKATO, Minn. - Ethan Bowers hit a two-run walk-off home run to spoil the University of Minnesota Crookston's hopes at a win, as they fell 7-6 in a hard-fought game against #25 Minnesota State University.

The Golden Eagles held a 6-4 lead going into the bottom of the ninth but the Mavericks scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to capture the comeback victory.

Minnesota Crookston dropped to 21-16 (14-11 NSIC). They sit in a tie for sixth place with Winona State University. Minnesota State improved to 30-8 (22-3 NSIC) with their sixth-straight win. The Mavericks are in first place in the NSIC standings. The Golden Eagles have dropped four in a row. Minnesota State has also picked up five-consecutive wins in the series.

The Golden Eagles got a stand-out starting performance from Isaac Roers (R-Sr., RHP, Stacy, Minn.), who tossed six innings and allowed just two runs on five hits. He struck out two, and walked five. Kaylor Chamberlain (So., RHP, Mankato, Minn.) pitched against his hometown team, allowing two runs on two hits in a frame. Lake Hagen (Jr., RHP, Alexandria, Minn.) allowed no runs on one hit in 0.2 innings. Joey Connelly (Sr., LHP, Eden Prairie, Minn.) picked up the loss, allowing three runs on two hits in 0.2 frames.

Gannon Reidinger started and went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out three, and walked one. The win went to Ben Irsfeld, who improved to 4-0, allowing no runs in the ninth.

The Golden Eagles were led offensively by Aaron Wensloff's (Jr., IF, Roseau, Minn.) seventh home run of the season, and Jackson Fliflet's (R-So., C, Wahpeton, N.D.) team-high 12th home run of 2026. Tori Uhlich (Jr., OF, Wahpeton, N.D.) guided the squad, hitting 3-of-5, with a run scored and an RBI. Wensloff went 1-of-4, with an RBI and two runs scored. Cole Hebl (R-So., 1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) finished 1-of-5, with two RBI. Fliflet hit 1-of-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Minnesota Crookston took a 1-0 lead in the first when Uhlich scored on an Americo Sculati (R-Sr., OF, Golden Valley, Minn.) groundout. The Golden Eagles padded their lead to 3-0 when Hebl singled to right center, plating Aaron Wensloff, and Thomas Schumacher (Fr., IF, Thompson, N.D.). 

Minnesota State countered in the bottom of the first with a C.J. Trask solo shot, cutting the deficit to 3-1. 

The Mavericks pulled within 3-2 in the third with a Louis Magers base-knock, driving in Trask.

The score remained 3-2 until the top of the seventh as Aaron Wensloff swung for the fences for his round tripper to extend the advantage to 4-2 in favor of the Golden Eagles.

Minnesota Crookston added to their lead in the top of the eighth. Fliflet knocked one over the fence to widen the gap to 5-2. The inning was rounded off by a Uhlich single to plate Kyler Miller (So., SS, Grand Rapids, Minn.) and extend the lead to 6-2. 

Minnesota State mounted a comeback in the bottom of the eighth. A Brandon Vicko solo home run trimmed the lead to 6-3. Pinch-hitter Pambos Nicoloudes hit a home run of his own to cut the deficit to 6-4.

The Mavericks had one last chance in the ninth and made the most of it. A Vicko single drove in Charlie Schau to pull the game within 6-5. Bowers came up in the crucial spot for a two-run blast, plating Sam Haugen to send Minnesota State to a walk-off 7-6 victory.

The Golden Eagles take on Minnesota State at Bowyer Field in Mankato, Minn., Sunday, April 19 at 12 and 2 p.m.