The Crookston American Legion Post 20 Baseball team struggled on the mound, in the field, and at the plate as they gave up 15 walks/hit batters, seven errors, and only had one hit in an 11-0 loss in six innings to Middle River Post 444 in the first round of the Northwest Sub-State North Division game at Jim Karn Field in Crookston.
FIRST INNING-
Middle River’s Eizen Olson led off the game with a single, stole second base, and scored on an error. Sawyer Torgerson was hit by a pitch, stole second base. After a strikeout, Trig Anderson walked. After another strikeout, Tate Bakke walked to load the bases, and Alex Bray walked to score a run for a 2-0 lead.
Crookston’s Matt Contreras doubled down the leftfield line with one out, but the next two batters were retired.
SECOND INNING-
Middle River’s Cale Pearson and Olson were hit by pitches before the next three batters were retired in a pair of strikeouts and a fly out to center field.
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with two strikeouts and a fly out to center field.
THIRD INNING –
Middle River’s Tanner Torgerson was hit by a pitch and scored on an Alex Bray single for a 3-0 lead.
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
FOURTH INNING-
With one out, Middle River’s Kelby Augustine and Trig Anderson walked. A run scored on a wild pitch. Bakke walked, and Alex Bray singled, and two runs scored on an error for a 6-0 lead.
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
FIFTH INNING-
Middle River’s lead off batter flew out to right field before Sawyer Torgerson reached on an error and Augustine walked.. A run scored on a wild pitch and another run scored on a Trig Anderson sacrifice fly for an 8-0 lead.
The first two Crookston batters were retired before Nolan Cassavant drew a walk. The next batter was retired.
SIXTH INNING
Crookston’s struggles continued in the sixth inning as the first two Middle River batters reached on errors and Jaxon Melcher singled to score a run. Cale Pearson singled to score another run for a 10-0 lead. Olson knocked in another run on a sacrifice fly for an 11-0 lead.
Crookston needed two runs to keep the game going, but the first two batters were retired before Contreras was hit by a pitch. The next batter popped out and Middle River won the game 11-0.
Crookston drops to 8-15 on the year and will play the loser of Fertile and Roseau in a loser-out game at 4:00 p.m. Middle River improves to 5-9 on the year and will play the winner of Fertile and Roseau at 6:30 p.m.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
| Middle River | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 7 |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Matt Contreras – 1 for 2, hit by pitch
Nolan Cassavant – 0-1, walk
Middle River-
Alex Bray – 2 for 3, 2 rbi, run, walk
Cale Pearson – 1 for 2, rbi, hit by pitch, walk
Eizan Olson – 1 for 2, rbi, run
Jaxon Melcher – 1 for 3, rbi, run, walk
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Matt Contreras-Crox | 2.3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 5 |
| Isaiah Donarski-Crox | 3.1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Tanner Torgerson-MR | 6.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
Crookston vs Fertile
FIRST INNING
Fertile’s Steven Sather reached on an error, and Teagan Johnson singled to score a run for a 1-0 lead. After a strikeout, Caleb Sather smashed a ground ball to first base and reached on an error that allowed a run to score. Kaleb Hemmah crushed a line drive to the left-center field gap for a double that scored a run to give Fertile a 3-0 lead.
With one out, Crookston’s Matt Contreras doubled and came into score on an error to bring Crookston within a 3-1 deficit.
SECOND INNING
Fertile’s Drew Gullickson started off the inning with a single before stealing second base and moving over to third on an error. Kane Oistad singled to score the run, and the gates were open for Fertile. Steven Sather and Teagan Johnson singled before Bryer Strem reached on an error that allowed two runs to score. Caleb Sather smashed a line drive to the left-center field gap for a triple that scored two more runs. Hemma grounded out, and a run scored for a 9-1 lead.
Crookston’s Tony Elbinger led off the bottom of the inning with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Nolan Cassavant sacrifice fly to get within a 9-2 deficit.
THIRD INNING
Fertile’s Kane Oistad walked and stole second base, Steven Sather walked, and Johnson singled to score two runs for an 11-2 lead.
Crookston’s Davin Janek reached on a one-out walk before he was caught stealing, and the next batter was retired.
FOURTH INNING
Fertile’s Hemmah led off the inning with a walk and a stolen base. After a strikeout, Brady Bjerk walked, and Drew Gullickson singled to score a run. After another strikeout, Steven Sather reached on an error, and a run scored. Another run scored on another error, and Johnson knocked in a run with a single and later scored on a wild pitch for a 16-2 lead.
Crookston’s Isaiah Donarski singled and stole second base before the next three batters were retired.
FIFTH INNING-
Fertile’s Isaac Greve walked with one out and moved over to second base on a wild pitch. He advanced to third base on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch for a 17-2 lead.
Crookston’s Aiden Delage singled with one out, and Contreras doubled before Christian Cassavant was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The next two batters were retired, and Fertile won 17-2 by 10-run rule.
Crookston’s season ends with a 18-6 record, and they were outscored 56-2 in their three games this week. Fertile improves to 4-6 on the year and will play Red Lake County on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in a loser-out game.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
| Fertile | 3 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 11 | 1 |
| Crookston | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Matt Contreras – 2 for 3, 2 doubles, run
Aiden Delage – 1 for 1
Tony Elbinger – 1 for 2, double, run
Tarek Siegle – 1 for 2, double
Isaiah Donarski – 1 for 3, stolen base
Fertile-
Teagan Johnson – 4 for 4, 4 rbi, 3 runs
Drew Gullickson – 2 for 3, 2 runs, rbi
Caleb Sather – 2 for 3, 3 rbi, walk
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Dexter Janek-Crox | 1.0 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| Nolan Cassavant-Crox | 3.0 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Aiden Delage-Crox | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Kolby Hemmah-Fert | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Bryer Strem-Fert | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kane Oistad-Fert | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
