CROOKSTON, Minn. -- The Fighting Sioux offense scored runs early and often in sweeping Minnesota-Crookston in Tuesday's twinbill by scores of 16-2 and 13-1. North Dakota improves to 10-11 on the year and Minnesota-Crookston falls to 0-24.
Game 1 - North Dakota - 16 Minnesota-Crookston - 2
The Fighting Sioux offense started scoring runs early and often as they scored 16 runs on 13 hits. The Sioux got on the Golden Eagles early by scoring three runs in the first inning and four in the second. They didn't back down as the Sioux offense piled on five more runs in the fourth inning, three in the fifth and one in the seventh.
Junior pitcher Casey Bovkoon ot his first start in a Fighting Sioux uniform and he also got his first win as a member of the Fighting Sioux. Bovkoon pitched five innings, allowing four hits and only giving up two runs. Bovkoon struck out five and walked two in his first victory of the season.
The Fighting Sioux 3-6 hitters went a combined 12-18 with eight RBIs. Leading the way for the Sioux offense was the duo of Nate Meissner and Andrew Gudmunson. Meissner went 4-5 with three runs and an RBI while Gudmunson went 4-5 with four runs, a homerun, and five RBIs. Gudmunson's homerun was his first homerun of the year. Anthony Brenner and Chris Gulsvig each went 2-4 with an RBI in the contest. Brenner scored four runs while Gulsvig scored two.
Game 2 - North Dakota - 13 Minnesota-Crookston - 1
Four Fighting Sioux pitchers combined for a one-hit outing against the Golden Eagles. Junior Sean Cooley got the start and pitched two innings, allowing no hits and no runs while striking out one.
First out of the bullpen was freshman relieve Sam Kinne. Kinne pitched the third and fourth innings and allowed no hits, but gave up one run to the Minnesota-Crookston offense. Pitching after Kinne was freshman Jameson Benson. Benson pitched the fifth and sixth innings and gave up the only hit of the night to the Golden Eagle offense. Benson struck out three and walked none in his first appearance as a Fighting Sioux.
Sophomore Michael Lueck came on in the seventh to slam the door and Lueck didn't disappoint as he struck out three and walked none in his one inning of work.
The Sioux offense started a little bit slower in the second game, but once it got rolling, it rolled up 13 runs on 20 hits. Every North Dakota starter finished the game with at least one hit. The only starter to not have a multi-hit game was Mike Lundeen. Lundeen went 1-5 with an RBI in the contest.
Seniors Nate Meissner and Tim Burns paced the offense with three hits apiece. Meissner was a homerun away from hitting for the cycle and Burns had a double and an RBI.
Tyler Frenzel, Andrew Gudmunson, Anthony Brenner, Chris Gulsvig, Ryne Jungling, and Bo Stanley all had two hits each in the game. Frenzel and Jungling each had two RBIs whereas Brenner, Gudmunson, and Stanley each had one.
The Sioux offense has scored 10 or more runs in three straight games.
North Dakota will return to action on Friday against conference foe, Minnesota-Duluth. The games will be played at Kraft Field in Grand Forks and will start at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
