ST. CLOUD, Minn. – MSU Moorhead claimed a pair of wins over Minnesota Crookston on Sunday. The Dragons won the first game 6-0 before beating the Golden Eagles 6-2 in game two.
The games took place in St. Cloud, Minn., after the games had been relocated from Moorhead to Aberdeen, S.D. However, a structural issue at the facility in Aberdeen, led MSUM to St. Cloud for the games.
With the wins, MSUM is off to its best NSIC start since 2006 where the Dragons began the conference slate 3-1.
Game One
Kaelyn Leverson started in the circle for MSUM, tossing three scoreless innings and only giving up a total of three hits. The Dragons would give Leverson some insurance in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-run home run from
Evey Evans. The run scored
Avery Steffen, who would take over for Leverson in the circle and pitch scoreless softball with seven strikeouts.
MSUM would only continue to pour on the offense from there as
Lizzy Davis drove in a run with one her two doubles in the game. The fifth-inning hit brought around
Eliyah McCarthy to give MSUM a 3-0 lead. The following inning, Steffen would bring in a run of her won thanks to another RBI double, which scored
Grace Oeltjen.
Later that same inning, senior
Kiley Washnieski would come on to pinch hit for the Dragons with Steffen still on second. Washnieski would blast a home run to left field to push MSUM in front 6-0. That score would hold true as the Dragons had 11 hits to Crookston's five in the contest.
Game Two
The Dragons would continue their offensive output as the second game got under way. MSUM would plate four runs in the home half of the first inning. This came thanks to an RBI double from
Eliya Johnson and a two-run single from
Jordey Smith. Steffen would add an RBI on a sacrifice fly.
The Dragons would bring in two more runs in the bottom of the third thanks to a triple from Steffen. While Crookston would add a run in the top of the third, the Golden Eagles would eventually load the bases on Johnson in the fourth.
Reece Dahl would come on in relief and pitch a lights-out inning to get the Dragons out of the jam. While Crookston would score a run in the fourth inning, it would prove to not be enough to overcome the MSUM lead.
Up Next
The Dragons (16-6, 4-0 NSIC ) will remain in St. Cloud for a doubleheader with Bemidji State tomorrow morning. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. from the Husky Dome.
