The Crookston American Legion Post 20 Baseball team hosted Badger-Greenbush/Middle River on Thursday night from Jim Karn Field. Both teams were looking for a big win for seeding purposes ahead of the Sub-District Tournament next week, and Crookston would get that win, scoring 7 runs in the first inning, and putting up 15 in the game for a 15-4 victory.
Blake Melsa got the start for Crookston and struck out two batters and got a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first. Crookston then wasted no time scoring 7 runs in the bottom of the first inning to blow the game open. Jacob Miller drew a walk, Cade Coauette walked, and Alex Longoria hit a rbi single to plate the first run of the inning for Crookston. After another walk loaded the bases, Blake Melsa would hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. Another walk would load the bases, and Justin Lindgren would then get hit by a pitch making it 3-0, and a groundout for the second out of the inning brought in another run giving Crookston a 4-0 lead. They would score three more runs on back-to-back hits from Carter Coauette and Jacob Miller, and by the end of the inning, lead 7-0.
BGMR showed a lot of fight and came back in the top of the second inning scoring four runs on three hits and two Crookston errors. The inning was highlighted with a 1-out double followed by a single and Crookston error to score two runs. BGMR would then place another run on a ground out, and a wild pitch after that would score the fourth and final run of the inning.
Crookston would start the bottom of the second inning with three straight infield singles to score another run and go up 8-4. The threat would come to an end after a line drive double play, followed by a pop-out, giving Crookston an 8-4 lead entering the third inning.
Crookston would put up another zero in the top of the third inning, and extend their lead in the home half of the frame. Lucas Miller and Carter Coauette would start the inning with singles, and Jacob Miller would continue with his hot bat driving both of them in with a triple. Miller would then come in to score on a groundout, and Crookston would take an 11-4 lead into the fourth inning.
Crookston would extend their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning scoring four more runs and going up 15-4. All four runs would score with two outs, with the biggest hit being a two-run double off the bat of Alex Longoria. That meant BGMR would need at least two runs in the top of the fifth inning to extend the game, otherwise, Crookston would win via the 10-run rule.
BGMR would get the first two hitters on base, but Justin Lindgren would close the door, and give Crookston the 15-4 victory in five innings by getting three straight out.
Crookston improves to 5-9 on the season and will begin play in the Crookston Summer Slam tournament tomorrow night when they play Bemidji. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. from Jim Karn Field. Worthington and Wahpeton will follow that game at 8:00 p.m. BGMR’s record drops to 0-4.
FOR CROOKSTON MANAGER ROB SILVERS COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
| BGMR | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Crookston | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | – | 15 | 13 | 3 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Blake Melsa – Crox (WP) | 2.1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Cade Coauette – Crox | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Justin Lindgren – Crox | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Vincent Stenberg – BGMR (LP) | 1 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Taylor Davy – BGMR | 3 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
For Crookston –
Alex Longoria 3 for 3, 3 rbi, run, SB
Jacob Miller 2 for 3, 3 rbi, 3 runs, walk
Carter Coauette 3 for 3, 3 runs, 2 rbi
For BGMR –
Carter Hoverson 1 for 2, rbi, run
Vincent Stenberg 1 for 3, run
Cody Olson 0 for 2, run
Kai Melbye 0 for 2, walk
