SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team fell 8-0 in their regular-season finale to Conference Champion Augustana University Saturday, May 2 at Ronken Field in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The Golden Eagles concluded the regular season with a 26-23 (19-18 NSIC) record, losing the series 1-2 to Augustana. Minnesota Crookston finished the regular season with 25 or more wins for the sixth time in the last 10 years. The Golden Eagles clinched the NSIC Tournament for the fourth-consecutive time, a first-time in program history. Minnesota Crookston has made eight NSIC Tournament appearances since 2016. The Golden Eagles are trailing only Minnesota State (10), Augustana (10), and St. Cloud State (9) in NSIC Tournament appearances since 2016. Augustana improved to 37-13 (30-7 NSIC) with Saturday's win.
Isaac Roers (R-Sr., RHP, Stacy, Minn.) started Saturday and broke the school's appearances mark with his 75th appearance, shattering Cody Pamperin's school record. Roers fell to 4-1 with the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in 3.2 frames. He struck out two, and walked four. Braden Nelson (R-Fr., RHP, Minot, N.D.) did not allow a run, but did not log an inning. Jaxson Bennett (Sr., RHP, Saginaw, Minn.) went 2.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits. Eli Denisen (R-Jr., LHP, Winona, Minn.) allowed three runs on three hits in 0.2 frames. Asher Blaine (Fr., RHP, Frazee, Minn.) pitched a scoreless inning, allowing two hits. Ashton Detloff (Fr., LHP, Perham, Minn.) allowed no runs in 0.1 frames.
Joel Van De Stroet earned the win for the Vikings, allowing no runs on no hits in five innings, with 10 strikeouts and two walks.
Minnesota Crookston was able to get some other players into their lineup Saturday including Reese Berberich, Terrence Moody, Jonah Norman, Dylan Alexander, and John Albrecht. Elias Leach (Fr., OF, Plymouth, Minn.) went 1-of-4, while Connor Bushbaum (R-Sr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.) was 1-of-2.Â
The Vikings took a 1-0 lead in the second when Kobe Eikmeier doubled to center field, plating Ryan Clementi.
In the fourth, Joshua Koskie came in on a wild pitch to extend the advantage to 2-0.
In the fifth inning, a Troy Berg sacrifice fly plated Carter Heinsch to extend the lead to 3-0 for the Vikings.
In the sixth, Koskie crossed the plate on a Brandon Weigel groundout to push the lead to 4-0.
Augustana padded their lead with four runs in the seventh. Heinsch scored as Berg reached on a fielder's choice to make it 5-0. Later in the frame, Clementi hit a two RBI single, scoring Bjorn Lind, and Berg to make it 7-0. The inning was capped by an Eikmeier double, scoring Clementi giving the Vikings a final tally 8-0.
The Golden Eagles will turn around and play Augustana again in four days in the opening round of the 2026 NSIC Tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D. They will play Wednesday, May 6 at 12 p.m., against Augustana at The Birdcage. The winner plays the winner of University of Sioux Falls and Wayne State College at Ronken Field Thursday, May 7 at 3:30 p.m., while the loser of Wednesday's game plays the loser of Sioux Falls/Wayne State Thursday, May 7 at 12 p.m., at The Birdcage.
