Crookston Softball takes down the Northern Freeze for first victory of the year

The Crookston Pirate Softball team used a home run from Rilynn Aubol and a nine-run fifth inning to get their first win of the season, taking down the Northern Freeze by a score of 12-7 in Newfolden on Friday afternoon.

FIRST INNING-
The Pirates got a one-out single from Brea Lessard in the top of the first, and she continued to use her speed to steal second and then advance to third on a passed ball. However, Freeze ace Brooklyn Dahle locked in, getting a strikeout and a popout to end the inning, with the strikeout being her 200th of her career.
Elin Reese led off the first inning for the Freeze with a single to center field. She stole second, made it to third and then scored on a throwing error, putting the Freeze in front 1-0. Ally Wagner wouldn’t let any more in, though, as she would get a strikeout and a lineout to end the frame.

SECOND INNING-
Crookston got off to a good start in the second, as Brynna Kopecky reached on an error. She would steal second, reach third on a groundout, and then be driven in on an RBI single by Madi Bruggeman to tie the game at one. Bruggeman would also make it to third, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat, keeping the game tied.
After a groundout to begin the bottom of the inning, the Freeze were in business with a single and a walk to put two on. Unfortunately for the Freeze, Ireland Klasen lined a ball right to Madi Bruggeman at shortstop, who caught it and threw the ball to Brea Lessard at second, getting a double play and ending the inning.

THIRD INNING –
Crookston was retired in order in the top of the third on two strikeouts and a groundout.
In the bottom of the inning, back-to-back walks put two runners on. After a wild pitch, a ground ball to Bruggeman at shortstop turned into an out at the plate, but runners stayed on the corners. Another wild pitch gave the Freeze a 2-1 lead, and after another walk, a successful double steal put the Freeze up 3-1. Then, Maddie Waterworth came up after an error, and delivered a two-run single to put the Freeze up 5-1. They looked to add more, but a beautifully executed 6-3-2 double play ended the threat, keeping the Freeze lead at four runs.

FOURTH INNING-
In the fourth, Rilynn Aubol led off with a mammoth home run to dead center field, cutting the lead to 5-2. Brynna Kopecky was next, and nearly did the same thing, but Bella Steinhauer reached over the fence and robbed her of a homer. Then, after a groundout, the Pirates got three straight hits from Bruggeman, Brylee Darco and Wagner, but the bases would be left loaded, as a flyout ended the frame.
The Freeze got a two-out double from Elin Reese in the bottom of the inning, but three groundouts would end the inning quickly, keeping the score at 5-2 Freeze into the fifth inning.

FIFTH INNING-
In the fifth inning, the Pirates absolutely exploded for their best offensive inning of the year. Crookston got twelve batters to the plate, and the first seven reached base on three hits, two walks, an error and a fielder’s choice. Rilynn Aubol got an RBI single, Brynna Kopecky drove in a run, Madi Bruggeman walked with the bases loaded and Brylee Darco drove in two with a base hit, and all of that led to the Pirates getting an 8-5 lead before the first out. They would get another run on an RBI from Shyuh Burnette, and then Aubol would deliver again, driving in two with a double to go up 11-5. Aubol was thrown out at third to end the inning.
The Freeze needed a response, and led things off with a single. After a foulout, a walk and a wild pitch put two in scoring position. However, the Freeze would only get one on a groundout, and another groundout would then end the inning with the Pirates up 11-6.

SIXTH INNING-
The Pirates were set down in order in the top of the sixth on a strikeout, a groundout and a flyout.
Consecutive walks led off the bottom of the inning for the Freeze, and back-to-back wild pitches would score a run to cut the lead down to 11-7. However, with one out and a runner on third, the Pirates turned their third double play of the game, this time a 1-3-2 double play to get out of the inning up by four.

SEVENTH INNING-
In the seventh, after two quick outs, the Pirates rattled off three straight singles; one from Leah Parkin, one from Emma Pierson and then an RBI single from Shyuh Burnette, giving the Pirates a 12-7 lead headed into the home half of the final inning.
Ally Wagner set down the Freeze in order in the bottom of the seventh, sealing a 12-7 victory for Crookston, their first of the year.

Crookston improves to 1-5 on the season, while the Northern Freeze fall to 2-3.

Comments from head coach Sunny Bowman and sophomore Rilynn Aubol.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Crookston	0	1	0	1	9	0	1	12	15	3
Freeze	1	0	4	0	1	1	0	7	5	2

OFFENSIVE LEADERS –

Crookston –
Rilynn Aubol – 3 for 4, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R
Madi Bruggeman – 2 for 3, 2 RBI, BB, R
Brylee Darco – 2 for 4, 2 RBI, R
Shyuh Burnette – 2 for 5, 2 RBI