T he opening contest for both teams saw University of Minnesota-Crookston only allow four hits against Winona State University, their pitcher Jake Dykhoff striking out 10 Warriors.
Third-year Carter Brinkman went 2-for-2 on the day while fourth-year Sam Kohnle and fourth-year Derek Martin gathered hits in the outing as well.
Third-year Aaron Huebsch gave up four runs in the fourth before first-year Mitchell Mueller
stepped in.
Mueller picked up five strikeouts during the affair and third-year John Breske finished out the game with one run given up.
Minnesota-Crookston scored four runs in the third and fourth innings to break away from Winona State in the seven-inning contest.
Brock Reller, who had a grand slam in the game, Parker Stroh, who was 2-for-4 and Jake Hjelle, who scored twice, led the
Golden Eagles.
In the second game, the Warriors took the field with a much better offensive performance, scoring six runs in their first at-bat and leading 6-2 after three innings.
However, a four-run sixth inning and a crazy six-run ninth inning proved to be the Warriors’ undoing, as they were defeated 12-11.
Third-year Derek Baumgartner got the Warriors off to a strong start with his second round-tripper of the season in the second inning. RBIs by second-year Cooper Kapanke and Brinkman had the Warriors started in the third inning and fourth-year Joe Ihrke triple drove in two more runs to round out the scoring.
UMC struck back to level the game at 6-6 in the sixth inning when Baumgartner hit once more, this time with a double to right center after Kohnle had driven
in Martin.
Ihrke followed up his triple in the third inning with a single shot in the seventh, giving Winona State a 9-6 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
The Warriors’ fortunes changed in the top of the ninth inning when UMC scored six runs on a mix of base hits, fielding miscues and
wild pitches.
After scoring six runs in the top of the ninth, the Golden Eagles handed the ball to Brody Sorenson to face Winona State in the bottom of the ninth.
Winona State fought back, with Martin driving in first-year Jake Brill to cut the deficit to two at 12-10 and fourth-year Tanner Williams hitting a double that drove in Martin.
With bases at second and third with two outs, Minnesota-Crookston’s Sorenson saw a two-strike pitch to Kapanke sail about 280 feet before being hauled in at the warning track to end the game.
In the third game, Brill, went 2-for-6 with two strikeouts, while Baumgartner went 2-for-3 with two walks.
He had two goals on the day, as did Kohnle, who went 2-for-4. Ihrke’s hot bat started, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs.
Winona State’s pitching staff suffered, as they used seven starters in the contest.
Fourth-year Dillon Whittaker got the start for the Warriors, pitching three and two-thirds innings and allowing three hits, five earned runs, and seven total runs.
Mueller took over in the fourth inning, allowing two earned runs.
Third-year Justin Firpo took the fall after pitching one and two-thirds of an inning and allowing four earned runs.
Minnesota-Crookston took advantage of a series of passing balls and wild pitches in the fourth inning, adding three runs to take a 7-2 lead.
Minnesota-Crookston starter Conner Richardson went five full innings, before giving way to Joey Greco who picked up the win.
Jackson Scheiner tossed three and two-thirds for the Golden Eagles and did not yield a run.
With the score 14-9, the Warriors rallied late, loading the bases with two outs and Williams hit a deep drive to left, hauled in just short of the warning track to end the game.
Fourth-year Nathan Loomis said despite the drop of games in this series, the team will bounce back and find their groove once again.
“The overall game plan is to continue to play solid baseball,” Loomis said. “We will find our way back to that position.”
Winona State will look to bounce back against Bemidji State on Wednesday, March 24.
The double-header at Loughrey Field is set to start at 1:30 p.m.