Baseball | 5/6/2026 2:48:00 PM
Box Score SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team fell 21-4 to Augustana University in round one the 2026 NSIC Tournament Wednesday, May 6 at The Birdcage in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Minnesota Crookston dropped to 26-24 with the first round loss. Augustana improved to 38-13 with the victory. The Vikings have won all four of their NSIC Tournament meetings all-time with the Golden Eagles.
Isaac Wensloff (Sr., RHP, Roseau, Minn.) started and fell to 6-4 with the loss, after allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits in 2.1 innings. He struck out two, and no walks. Kaylor Chamberlain (So., RHP, Mankato, Minn.) allowed two unearned runs in 0.2 frames. Jaxson Bennett (Sr., RHP, Saginaw, Minn.) notched 1.1 scoreless frames on the bump.
The win went to Augustana's Jack Sutton in relief, allowing no runs in two frames with one strikeout. Mauricio Gomez, the NSIC Pitcher of the Year, started but struggled with walks. He tossed three innings, allowing four runs on two hits. Gomez struck out five, and walked seven.
Minnesota Crookston was led by Cole Hebl (R-So., 1B, Hillsboro, N.D.), who went 3-of-4, with two RBI. Elias Leach (Fr., OF/LHP, Plymouth, Minn.), the NSIC Freshman of the Year, went 1-of-4, with an RBI. Kyler Miller (So., SS, Grand Rapids, Minn.) scored two runs for the Golden Eagles.
The Golden Eagles put a pair of runners on with a Bushbaum walk and a Hebl base-knock. Gomez loaded the bags with two outs as Aaron Wensloff (Jr., IF, Roseau, Minn.) was walked. Gomez struck out Sculati with the bases loaded to keep the game 0-0.
The Vikings put their first two batters on as Weigel was hit by a pitch, and Soelter singled. A Carter Heinsch double knocked in Weigel to give Augustana an early 1-0 lead. Ragan Pinnow hit one off the fence in left center to drive in Soelter and Heinsch to push the advantage to 3-0.
The Golden Eagles countered in the top of the second. After three-straight Gomez walks, Bushbaum reached on a fielder's choice, plating Caden Kappes (Jr., IF, Wahpeton, N.D.) to trim the deficit to 3-1. Hebl delivered a single to drive in Bushbaum, and Miller to knot the game up 3-3.
Augustana came back in the bottom of the second with a Kobe Eikmeier two-run shot, plating Maddux Foss to extend the advantage to 5-3. Heinsch singled to right field to score Weigel to give the Vikings a 6-3 lead. Isaac Wensloff struck out Berg to get out of the frame.
The Vikings pushed their lead to 7-3 in the third as Eikmeier reached on an error and Lundquist scored for Augustana. A Weigel double plated Eikmeier and Foss to extend the Augie lead to 9-3. Heinsch singled in Weigel to push the Viking lead to 10-3. Pinnow launched one over the left field fence to score Heinsch and give Augie a 12-3 advantage in the third. Chamberlain got the Golden Eagles out of the frame but not before the Vikings scored six runs.
Gomez walked Miller and Schumacher to lead off the top of the fourth, which would be his two final batters of the day. Bushbaum grounded into a fielder's choice, as the Vikings got the out at second. Bushbaum was then thrown out on the attempted stolen base to put two outs on the scoreboard. Leach laced a ball up the middle to drive in Miller and cut the deficit to 12-4. Sutton got out of the inning with a strikeout of Hebl.
A Weigel walk and a Soelter hit led off the bottom of the fifth for the Vikings off Aaron Bennett (Sr., RHP, Saginaw, Minn.). Augustana loaded the bases as Heinsch reached on a walk. Pinnow hit a ball deep to center field for a sacrifice fly, plating Weigel to increase the lead to 13-4. A Berg single plated Soelter to extend the Augie advantage to 14-4. A Lundquist double drove in Heinsch to push the advantage to 15-4. Eikmeir walked with the bases loaded, driving in Berg to extend the lead to 16-4. Weigel walked with the bases loaded, scoring Lundquist. Soelter was hit by a pitch bringing in Koskie to extend the lead to 18-4. Heinsch was walked, bringing in Eikmeier to push the Augie edge to 19-4. A Pinnow double with the bases loaded, brought in Soelter, and Weigel to push the lead to 21-4.
Minnesota Crookston will play Wayne State College in an elimination game Thursday, May 7 at 12 p.m., at the Birdcage in Sioux Falls, S.D.
