The Crookston American Legion Post 20 Baseball team started the Dakota Classic Tournament in Lennox South Dakota tonight taking on the Lincoln Nebraska North Stars. The North Stars scored a couple of runs early, and a few late to beat Crookston 8-0 in five innings of play as there is an 8 run rule in place to keep the games moving at a fast pace.
The North Starts retired Crookston 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning and quickly got on the board in the bottom of the inning with three of their first four hitters reaching base and coming around to score. That gave the North Stars a 3-0 lead after one inning. “We gave away a couple of runs in the first inning with a few errors but after that settled into a good ballgame,” said Crookston Manager Rob Silvers. “
Crookston would get two base runners in the top of the second inning as Alex Longoria reached base and Ashton Larson singled, but Crookston would strand both runners on base. “I thought we had good at bats all game we just couldn’t get a big hit to breakthrough,” said Crookston Manager Rob Silvers.
Crookston used the game as a staff day on the mound and the pitching did a nice job keeping the North Stars off the board in the second and third innings of play. “We decided to go with a staff game so that everything that pitched today will be eligible to throw tomorrow,” said Crookston Manager Rob Silvers. However, they ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth when the North Stars scored four more runs to take a commanding 7-0 lead.
Crookston would strand a runner in the top of the fifth inning, and the North Stars would win the game scoring another run to win 8-0 in five innings.
Crookston will be back in action with two more games tomorrow from South Dakota at 3:30 p.m. against Aberdeen South Dakota, and again at 6:00 p.m. against Lennox South Dakota.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Lincoln (NEB) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Alex Longoria – Crookston (LP) | 1.2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Blake Melsa – Crookston | 1.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Cade Coauette – Crookston | .2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Jacob Miller – Crookston | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
For Crookston –
Alex Longoria 1 for 1, BB
Ashton Larson 1 for 2
Teagen Lubinski 1 for 2
