Bemidji takes down Reds 11-3

The Bemidji Blue Ox used strong pitching including 13 strikeouts Thursday night to beat the Crookston Reds Amateur baseball team 11-3. 

Crookston took a 1-0 lead in the first when Jacob Butcher reached on an error and moved to second on a wild pitch. He’d advance to third and home on passed balls. 

Bemidji would take the lead in the second following a one-out walk when Cody Jenkins hit a two-run homerun down the left field line to make it 2-1.  They would add to the lead in the third on a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1, before a two-out RBI single by Thomas Revering made it 4-1.  Bemidji opened the fifth with the first three runners reaching on a walk, error and single before a wild pitch brought home a run to make it 5-1.  Two batters later an RBI groundout by Collin Rutledge made it 6-1.  Crookston got a run back in the home half of the fourth, when a walk and single put runners on first and second with two outs.  Zach Vig attempted to move up to third on a ball in the dirt and the catcher’s throw sailed into left allowing Vig to score to make it 6-2.  

Bemidji would get a run back in the eighth inning on three singles, the by Rutledge driving in Mitch Hendricks to give Rutledge his third RBI and Bemidji a 7-2 lead.  In the ninth Bemidji put together a big inning.  A double, error, and hit batter loaded the bases with nobody out for Hendricks who tripled to center scoring three to make it 10-2. Hendricks would score on a single by McNallen to make it 11-2 Bemidji.  Crookston got a man on in the ninth when Butcher singled before moving to second and then third on wild pitches.  He’d score on a single by Ellefson.  Crookston had runners on second and third with two outs, but the final batter would groundout to end the game and Bemidji won 11-3.  

Crookston falls to 10-10 on the year and will host Ada Saturday at noon at Jim Karn Field. 

For Bemidji
Cody Rutledge 3-5, BB, R

For Crookston
Jacob Butcher 2-5, 2 R