MANKATO, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team earned a split with Minnesota State University Sunday, April 19 at Bowyer Field in Mankato, Minn., led by a dominant complete game from Isaac Wensloff (Sr., RHP, Roseau, Minn.). 

Minnesota Crookston sits at 22-17 (15-12 NSIC) with Sunday's split. Minnesota State took the series 2-1. The Mavericks moved to 31-9 (23-4 NSIC) and lead the NSIC standings. Minnesota Crookston is in seventh in the conference standings. The Golden Eagles have five wins in the series since 2023, after going 1-16 in the first 12 years of the series. Minnesota Crookston was close in all three games, including the game two victory Sunday.

Game One

Isaac Wensloff (Sr., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) continued his dominant work on the mound as he shut down the Mavericks in a 7-2 win in game one. Wensloff limited Minnesota State to two late runs on four hits in the complete game. He struck out four, and walked three. Wensloff has a 2.97 ERA in his last seven appearances, giving up fewer than three runs in his last seven outings. 

The loss went to Louis Magers, who allowed four earned runs on six hits in 5.1 innings. Magers struck out five, and walked one.

Tori Uhlich (Jr., OF, Wahpeton, N.D.) set the tone from the leadoff spot, hitting 2-of-4 with a run scored. Uhlich added to his school record with his 23rd stolen base. Jackson Fliflet (R-So., C, Wahpeton, N.D.) moved to fifth all-time in single-season home runs, going 1-of-4, with two RBI and a run scored. Americo Sculati (R-Sr., OF, Golden Valley, Minn.) went 1-of-3, with two RBI and a run scored. Cole Hebl (R-So., 1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) was 1-of-4, with an RBI and a run scored. 

The Golden Eagles pounced early, as Aaron Wensloff (Jr., IF, Roseau, Minn.) singled to left field to plate Uhlich to give Minnesota Crookston a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first. 

The score remained intact at 1-0 in favor of the Golden Eagles, until a big inning in the top of the sixth for Minnesota Crookston. Sculati hit his ninth home run of the season, driving in Elias Leach to give the Golden Eagles a 3-0 lead. Fliflet followed suit with his team-high 13th home run of 2026, He is in the top three in the league for home runs. Minnesota Crookston rounded out the inning when Connor Bushbaum (R-Sr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) scored on an error to extend the advantage to 6-0.

The Golden Eagles added to their lead in the top of the seventh when Hebl doubled in Aaron Wensloff to push the advantage to 7-0.

Minnesota Crookston had the shutout going into the bottom of the seventh with two outs, but pinch-hitter Eric Nuno blasted a two-run shot over the fence, scoring Ethan Bowers to cut the lead to 7-2. C.J. Trask was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat, but Isaac Wensloff struck out Cole Yearsley to preserve the 7-2 win.

Game Two
Minnesota State edged Minnesota Crookston 4-2 in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader in Mankato. 

Daniel Zang earned the win for the Mavericks, throwing seven innings and allowing two runs on four hits. Zang struck out 10, and walked two in the win, improving to 5-1 on the bump. Ben Irsfeld picked up his third save of 2026, tossing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.

Nate Benning (Jr., LHP, Browerville, Minn.) fell to 3-3, tossing five innings and allowing four runs on four hits. He struck out two, and walked four. Lake Hagen (Jr., RHP, Alexandria, Minn.) threw three scoreless innings, giving up just three hits with two strikeouts.

Leach led the Golden Eagles, going 1-of-3 with one RBI and a run scored. Aaron Wensloff hit 1-of-4, with RBI. Caden Kappes (Jr., IF, Wahpeton, N.D.) went 1-of-3, with a run scored. 

Minnesota Crookston got on the scoreboard first in the first frame when Aaron Wensloff singled to right center, driving in Leach to give the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead.

Yearsley knotted the game 1-1 with a single through the left side, driving in Jake Berkland. The Mavericks took the lead 2-1 with a triple from Magers to plate Yearsley in the bottom of the first. They moved the advantage to 3-1 when Bowers singled to score Magers later in the frame.

Minnesota Crookston extended the lead to 4-1 in the fourth when Eric Nuno crossed the plate on a Logan Miller groundout.

The Golden Eagles trimmed the deficit to 4-2 in the fifth when Leach singled to right field, scoring Kappes.

Minnesota Crookston was unable to overcome the gap in the final four frames, falling 4-2.

The Golden Eagles remain on the road to face Bemidji State University Wednesday, April 22 at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., in Bemidji, Minn.