CROOKSTON, Minn. - The Warrior baseball team earned a split with the University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles.
Game One: WSU (9) - UMC (3)
The Warriors struck first with three runs in the first. A double to deep left center from
Dylan Harer scored
Payton Kohnle.
Jack Funke smoked a single to score Harer. A single to third from
Ethan Patterson was enough to score Funke and move
Max Pederson to second.
UMC tried to answer in the second with a solo shot.
Garrett Hietpas kept the Warriors going in the third as he leaked a single through the right side to move Patterson to second and score Funke, bringing the Warriors to a 4-1 ball game. The Warriors kept tacking on run and capitalizing on Golden Eagle mistakes.
Josh Hatano reached on an error that advanced Patterson to third and score
Max Pederson. Hatano advanced on an error from the Golden Eagles that scored Hietpas. Harer laid down the hammer and belted a home run out of the park to left, tacking on two more RBIs for the day and scoring Hatano.
The Golden Eagles attempted to answer the Warrior's call but came up very short, delivering two runs in the sixth inning.
Sawyer Hoffman pitched a solid six innings for the Warriors picking up six strikeouts on the day.
Boyd Skelley came in relief for an effective close to the game facing three batters and retiring all three.
Game Two: UMC (20) – WSU (10)
The Warrior offense was quick to strike again tacking on a run in the top of the first. Hatano scored on a groundout to second from
Adam Wall. The Golden Eagles were quick to respond this time tacking on six runs in the first inning. A slew of home runs left the park before the Warriors were able to control the damage.
The Warriors capitalized on Golden Eagle mistakes scoring on a throwing error to second, that scored Hatano and advanced Harer to second that Wall reached first on. However, the Golden Eagles answered loudly with a solo shot to left and a double to right scoring two more.
Connor Greuel put some fire back into the Warrior line up in the fourth, picking up two RBIs with a double to center field scoring Hietpas and
Connor Weed. The Golden Eagles answered with a two-run pump to left.
The Warriors came back with six runs in the sixth bringing the score to 11-10. Harer doubled to left center bringing in Greuel and Hietpas. Wall launched a two-run home run bringing in Harer. Weed blasted a ball out of the park scoring
Easton Arendt. The Golden Eagles responded with a two-run home run.
The Warriors couldn't stop the bleeding as the Golden Eagles capitalized on Warrior mistakes and tacked on eight runs in the seventh.
The Golden Eagles delivered the final blow with a walk-off in the eighth.
Ryan Buchta suffered the loss for the Warriors.
Winona State (22-20, 17-12 NSIC) finishes up the series with game three set for 12:00pm on Sunday, April 26th.
