The University of Minnesota Duluth's big bats came out to give their home crowd a show as the Bulldogs swept a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader against the University of Minnesota Crookston by scores of 7-2 and 16-2 at Bulldog Park in Duluth on Wednesday afternoon.
Though Minnesota Crookston (18-13, 11-6 NSIC) boasts a much-improved line-up in 2016, the Golden Eagles were not matched for UMD (23-9, 16-4) on this day as the Bulldogs launched five home runs and nine extra-base hits to sweep the day. With those five longballs, the team broke the UMD single season record, now with 59 as a team on the season (The previous high mark was 55 in 2003).
UMC starting pitcher Aaron Hollcraft (0-2) fell behind the first three hitters of the day, walking two before getting to a three-ball count against
Alex Wojciechowski. He threw Wojo a strike, and the Bulldogs' senior first baseman did not miss as he crushed his first of two home runs (22) on the day to give UMD a 3-0 lead on its first hit of the day.
Senior third baseman
Kyle Comer singled home a run in the third inning, and would later get in a rundown between first and second that scored Wojciechowski to give the Bulldogs a 5-0 lead. Wojciechowski added two more RBIs the next inning, driving in freshman outfielder
Cory Krolikowski and junior shortstop
Brian Pierce with a bases-loaded single with two outs in the inning.
That lead was all senior left-hander
Spencer Diedrich (3-0) needed as he cruised through his first five innings of work, allowing two runs (one earned) in the sixth while striking out eight and scattering five hits to pick up the win. Junior right-handed
Colton Sinning tossed a clean seventh inning to wrap up the win for the Bulldogs.
UMD 16, Minnesota Crookston 2
UMD scored 11 runs in the third inning, sending 14 batters to the plate and hitting three home runs during the frame - one each by Farley (7), Wojciechowski, and Heck (13) - to pull away and secure the victory for sophomore southpaw
Tommy Hanson (2-0). Hanson threw 5.0 innings, striking out nine Golden Eagles and allowing just three hits and one earned run.
Heck led the Bulldog offense in game two, going 4-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Wojciechowski had three more hits in game two, going 6-for-7 in the doubleheader, and secured yet another UMD career record, now with 238 hits in four seasons, surpassing Tyler Erickson ('11) who had 237 for the Bulldogs. Comer added two hits, including his sixth home run of the season, while Diedrich followed up his pitching victory with a 3-for-4 day at the plate while starting in center field, driving in two runs in game two.
Minnesota Crookston used eight pitchers in game two, with Zach Carillo (0-3) tossing the opening inning, allowing a pair of runs against UMD. Closer Zach Seipel closed out the sixth inning, striking out two with one of two clean innings for the Golden Eagles in the nightcap.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will set out on the road after a six-game homestand, taking on Bemidji State University (11-27, 8-14 NSIC) for a four-game conference series this weekend. All NSIC doubleheaders feature one seven-inning game followed by a nine-inning game. If the first game goes to extra innings, then the second reverts to a seven-inning game as well. UMD and the Beavers will get the action started on Saturday afternoon at the BSU Baseball Field in Bemidji. Opening pitch is set for 1:30 p.m.
