Baseball | 5/7/2026 10:29:00 PM

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball team saw their season come to close at the NSIC Tournament with a 6-3 loss to Winona State University Thursday, May 7 at The Birdcage in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Golden Eagles end their season with a 27-25 mark. Winona State improved to 27-25 with the win. The game was the first for Minnesota Crookston against the Warriors in the NSIC Tournament. The teams split the season series 2-2. Winona State advances to face the University of Mary Friday, May 8 at 3:30 p.m. Minnesota Crookston made their eighth tournament since 2016, joining Minnesota State University, Augustana University, and St. Cloud State University was one of only four teams to reach eight or more since 2016. The Golden Eagles reached 25 or more wins for the fifth time. 

Nate Benning (Jr., LHP, Browerville, Minn.) started and put the Golden Eagles in a strong position to contend. He tossed five innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits. Benning struck out six, and walked one. Benning fell to 3-4 with the loss. Nate Heymann (Jr., RHP, Waimea, Hawai'i) came on in relief and went two innings, allowing two runs on two hits. Lake Hagen (Jr., RHP, Alexandria, Minn.) threw one scoreless inning, with one hit allowed.

Hunter Guenther got the nod for Winona State. He threw 129 pitches in eight innings. Guenther allowed two earned runs on six hits. He struck out eight, and walked four. Boyd Skelley pitched the final inning, retiring the Golden Eagles in order.

Minnesota Crookston was led by Connor Bushbaum (R-Sr., OF, Saginaw, Minn.), who went 2-of-5, with an RBI. Elias Leach (Fr., OF, Plymouth, Minn.) was 2-of-5 with a run scored. Cole Hebl (R-So., 1B, Hillsboro, N.D.) finished 1-of-4, with a run scored. Americo Sculati (R-Sr., OF, Golden Valley, Minn.) was 1-of-4, with a run scored.

The Golden Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Aaron Wensloff (Jr., IF, Roseau, Minn.) reached on an error by the second baseman, driving in Hebl. 

Connor Weed responded in the bottom of the first with a solo home run to even the tilt 1-1. The Warriors took a 2-1 advantage when Adam Wall scored after Boone Kirst reached on a throwing error at second base. Benning struck out Max Pederson to shut down the rally for Winona State.

Miller reached for the Golden Eagles with one out in the top of the second. Bushbaum laced a base hit to give Minnesota Crookston two runners with two outs. However, Guenther struck out Leach to keep the game 2-1. 

Singles by Dylan Harer and Josh Hatano gave the Warriors a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the second. A Benning strikeout of Adam Wall kept the tally 2-1. 

Minnesota Crookston put runners on the corners with a Hebl single and a walk to Aaron Wensloff. A double play was ruled on a sacrifice fly from Sculati with Hebl leaving early from third. The game stayed 2-1 in favor of the Warriors. 

Winona State took a 4-1 lead with a Max Pederson home run, scoring Ethan Patterson in the bottom of the third. Benning struck out Garrett Hietpas to conclude the frame.

Guenther hit Hebl and Fliflet in back-to-back at-bats with one out. Guenther struck out Aaron Wensloff for the second out of the stanza. He got Sculati to ground out to keep the Winona State lead 4-1.

Leach led off the top of the seventh with a base knock. With two outs, and Leach on third he came in on a wild pitch as the ball rolled to the back stop. The run trimmed the deficit to 4-2. 

A Dylan Harer single scored Weed to give Winona State a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh. A Jack Funke pinch-hit blooper plated Harer to extend their edge to 6-2. Heymann struck out Patterson to get out of the stanza.

Americo Sculati led off the top of the eighth with a double down the left field line. Sculati moved to third on a fly out from Kappes to right field. Jonah Norman walked with two outs to give the Golden Eagles runners on the corners. A Bushbaum infield single drove in Sculati to cut the lead to 6-3. Leach grounded into a fielder's choice as Guenther got out of the frame.

Hagen got two quick outs from the Warrior lineup in the bottom of the eighth including a diving grab in center field from Bushbaum. With two outs he hit Hatano. Weed knocked a single to left to give Winona State two on with two outs. Hagen got Harer to fly out to left center to retire the Warriors.

The game marks the end of the careers for nine seniors with Bushbaum, Isaac Roers, Isaac Wensloff, Sculati, Isaac Telle, Joey Connelly, Kyle Odenbach, Aaron Bennett, and Jaxson Bennett all concluding their careers as the winningest four-year class in program history.