The Crookston 18U Baseball team (the high school baseball team) took on the Kittson County Hornets based out of Karlstad in two games at Jim Karn Field in Crookston. Crookston won the first game 9-8, and KCC bounced back to win the second game 5-0.
GAME 1 –
KCC scored four runs in the top of the first inning to take a 4-0 lead behind three doubles, an error, and a walk.
Crookston responded in the bottom of the first inning when Cade Deleon drew a one-out walk. After another out, Jade Selzler walked. A few pitches later, Deleon scored on a wild pitch before Selzler scored on a Brady Butt single to get within a 4-2 deficit.
In the top of the second inning, KCC responded with two more runs behind two walks, a fielders choice, and an rbi single for a 6-2 lead.
KCC added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning behind three singles and an error, and a sacrifice for an 8-2 lead.
Crookston responded in the bottom of the fourth inning with a one-out walk to Jade Selzler, which was followed by a Brady Butt single and a rbi single by Gunner Gunderson. Another run scored on an error, and Crookston trailed 8-4.
After a scoreless fifth inning, Crookston responded in the bottom of the sixth inning when Carter Bruggeman was hit by a pitch, Selzler singled, and Brady Butt singled in two runs. Gunderson reached on a fielders choice, Leyton Salentine was hit by a pitch, Joe Doda singled, and Jacob Hesby was hit by a pitch to score the third run of the inning to cut KCC’s lead to 8-7.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Crookston had a chance for a walk-off win. The inning started with two outs before Brooks Butt, and Cade Deleon singles and Bruggeman ripped a fly ball over the left fielders head to score two runs for a 9-8 walk-off victory (See the video of the celebration below).
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| KCC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 3 |
| Crookston | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 2 |
Offensive leaders –
Brady Butt – 3-3, 3 rbi’s, run
Jade Selzler – 1-1, 3 runs, 2 walks
GAME TWO-
In the second game of the double-header, KCC scored a run when they had bases loaded with one out. The batter hit a ground ball to the Crookston third baseman who fielded the ball cleanly and threw to second base for the force out. The second baseman threw the ball back to third base to get the force out, but the run scored before the third out, and KCC took a 1-0 lead.
KCC added a third run in the third inning when Calvin Hanson singled, stole second, stole third, and scored a run on a throwing error for a 2-0 lead.
KCC added three more runs in the top of the fourth inning behind a Crookston error, a hit batter, and three straight singles for a 5-0 lead.
Crookston answered in the bottom of the fifth inning when Brady Butt walked, Gunner Gunderson singled, and Leyton Salentine doubled to score a run to get within a 5-1 deficit with runners at second and third with two out. Joe Doda followed with a single to score a run. Doda tried to steal second base, and the pitcher was called for a balk to score Salentine from third base, and Crookston trailed 5-3 with a runner on second base. Gavin Salem-Boman hit a ground ball, the shortstop wasn’t able to make the play, and another run scored to bring Crookston within a 5-4 deficit with a runner on second base. Jacob Hesby hit a single up the middle, and Salem-Boman tried to score from second and was thrown out, and KCC held on for a 5-4 victory to complete a split of the double-header.
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
| KCC | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
Offensive leaders –
Gunner Gunderson – 1-2, run
Leyton Salentine – 1-2, run, rbi
Joe Doda – 1-2, run, rbi
Jacob Hesby – 1-2
Brooks Butt – 1-2
Cade Coauette – 1-2
Jacob Miller -1-2
