UMC Baseball splits DH against Winona State in two frigid games

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle baseball team survived the frigid temperatures and held on for a split against Winona State on Saturday, dropping the first game 4-1 in nine innings, followed by a 10-5 victory in seven innings.

GAME ONE –

FIRST INNING
After the first batter of the game, Dylan Harer, was hit by a pitch, and subsequently stole second base, UMC starting pitcher Josh Dykhoff was able to retire the rest of WSU in order, culminating in his first strikeout to end the inning.
UMC was retired in order in the home half of the inning on a groundout, strikeout and popout.

SECOND INNING
WSU was retired in order in the top of the 2nd, on a flyout and two groundouts. They did drive up Dykhoff’s pitch count in the inning.
UMC got the first hit of the game in the home half of the 2nd inning on a 2-out single by Brock Larsen, but before that, Aaron Wensloff walked on four pitches, so the single put two on with two out. However, the defense came through for WSU and they retired Larsen on a force play to escape the jam and keep the game scoreless.

THIRD INNING
After a seven-pitch at bat that resulted in a groundout, the Warriors’ lineup turned back over to the top, and Dylan Harer cleared the fence for a solo home run, making it 1-0 WSU. The last two Warriors were retired in order.
UMC began to push the narrative more in the home half of the inning, as a hit by pitch and a walk put two runners on with nobody out. After Sawyer Satrom struck out, Dykhoff walked to load the bases. However, UMC couldn’t cash in, as Americo Sculati struck out and Wensloff grounded out to keep the game at 1-0, as UMC left them loaded.

FOURTH INNING
The Warriors got a man on with a 1-out single, but were unable to cash in. Josh Dykhoff ended up with 5 straight 2-strike counts without a strikeout, but was still able to get out of the inning.
The bottom of the inning couldn’t have started any better for UMC, as Connor Bushbaum went yard to tie the score at 1. UMC looked to add on to potentially take the lead, but after Kobe Senn reached 2nd on an error, Gritzmaker was able to get out of the jam, keeping the score tied at 1.

FIFTH INNING
The fifth inning began a string of four straight innings with no runs scored for either side. WSU was retired in order on a strikeout and two flyouts.
After the first two batters for UMC were retired, Sculati walked, and a Wensloff single and subsequent throwing error put runners on second and third. Yet again, though, the Warrior pitching came through in the clutch, and the game stayed tied through 5.

SIXTH INNING
WSU was once again retired in order, this time on two groundouts and a flyout.
UMC started to take advantage of Gritzmaker’s loss of control, as after a walk and a passed ball, a hit batsman gave the Golden Eagles runners on the corners with one away. This sparked a Warrior pitching change, and Mason Beltrand shut down the rally quickly in relief, stariking out two batters in a row to get out of the inning.

SEVENTH INNING
WSU finally got a hit after multiple innings with a leadoff single, but a poor attempt of a sacrifice bunt resulted in a double play, thwarting any attempt of a rally, as the inning ended quietly after that.
UMC was retired in order in the home half of the seventh, on a flyout and two strikeouts.

EIGHTH INNING
WSU started to get something going with a one-out single, then Harer continued his terrific day with a walk to put two on with two down. However, after a 3-0 count, the Spartans came up empty on a groundout.
Bushbaum walked to open the bottom of the eighth inning, put that was the only on-base activity for the Golden Eagles as the next three batters were retired on two popouts and a groundout.

NINTH INNING
The long-awaited offense finally came for the Warriors in the ninth. After a 1-out single and a sacrifice bunt, Josh Gullickson drove in the go-ahead run to make it 2-1 Spartans. Ben Hefel was next to bat, and he delivered the dagger with a two-run home run to put the Spartans up 4-1. That lead would stick, as UMC would be retired in order to give WSU a 4-1 win.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
WSU	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	4	6	2
UMC	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0

For UMC-
Connor Bushbaum – 1 for 3, HR (1), BB
Aaron Wensloff – 1 for 3, BB
Brock Larsen – 1 for 3, BB

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K
Pierce Gritzmaker – WSU	5.1	4	1	1	5	6
Josh Dykhoff – UMC	8.0	4	1	1	1	4
Mason Beltrand – WSU (W)	2.2	0	0	0	1	5
Nate Graafsgard – UMC (L)	1.0	2	3	3	1	1

GAME TWO –

FIRST INNING
After two straight singles to lead off the first inning of game 2 for the Warriors, hard contact just didn’t work out, as three consecutive solid hits to right field were caught as loud flyouts to end the inning.
The home half of the inning went far better for the Golden Eagles. After Debilzen and Larsen got things started with a double and a single respectively, Dykhoff came through with an RBI single to put UMC up 1-0. Then, a groundball to third by Bushbaum resulted in a throwing error. and two runs came across to put UMC up 3-0. Bushbaum would be out ah home to end the inning.

SECOND INNING
The Warriors had a quiet top of the 2nd inning, besides a two-out single by Josh Hatano.
After the first two batters in the bottom of the 2nd inning for UMC struck out looking, Satano tripled on a gap shot to right-center field. The Golden Eagles couldn’t add to their lead, however, as a pop-up to second base ended the threat.

THIRD INNING
After Harer continued his fantastic doubleheader with a leadoff single to open up the 3rd, the Golden Eagles turned a slick double play to eliminate the baserunner. The inning ended quietly for the Warriors.
The 3rd inning was not quiet for the Golden Eagles, however. The first three batters of the inings reached, on singles by Larsen and Dykhoff and a walk to Senn. After the Warriors tried to stop the bleeding with a pitching change, Wensloff walked to score a run, and then the first pitch of the next at-bat got behind the catcher for a wild pitch, making it 5-0 UMC. After that, yet another wild pitch made it 6-0, and UMC was not done yet, as an error scored Wensloff, and Miller became the third run to come in on a wild pitch in the inning, making it 8-0 UMC as the game headed to the 4th.

FOURTH INNING
WSU had a long way to go, but they attempted to make something happen to start the 4th. After a leadoff single, an error was committed, and Hatano was then walked to load the bases with two away. Unfortunately for the Warriors, a popout to second base left the bases loaded.
Larsen and Dykhoff continued their amazing day with a double and a single to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with one away. Senn was next up, and as he struck out swinging, the ball glanced off the catcher’s glove and a run scored, making it 9-0. Wensloff was next up to the plate, and he singled up the middle to put the Golden Eagles up double figures, with a 10-0 lead at the end of 4.

FIFTH INNING
The Warriors were finally able to break their scoreless streak in the top of the 5th. After back-to-back singles with one out, pinch hitter Garrett Hietpass singled to cut the lead down to 10-1. WSU then got two runners on once again, but a force play to second ended the inning.
UMC was retired in order in the 5th, on two groundouts and a strikeout.

SIXTH INNING
The Warriors got one baserunner in the top of the 6th, but he was out on the third force play made by the Golden Eagle defense. The rest of the inning ended quietly.
UMC was retired in order once again in the 6th, on two flyouts and a popout.

SEVENTH INNING
The Warriors did everything in their power to try and come back in the 7th. They took advantage of a poor relief performance by Jaxson Bennett, who allowed 4 hits and 4 runs while only getting one batter out. Once WSU cut the lead down to 10-5, UMC made another pitching change, bringing in Carsen Barta. He was able to shut the door and record the final two outs, and the Golden Eagles held on to win the game 10-5.

UMC is now 12-16 on the year, and 9-9 in the NSIC. They will play two more games against Winona State on Sunday.