The Crookston American Legion Post 20 Baseball team was swept by Thompson Post 181 in a doubleheader in Thompson, North Dakota, 12-1 and 15-4 on a beautiful evening.
GAME ONE –
FIRST INNING
Crookston’s first batter struck out before Blake Melsa singled. The next batter hit into a fielder’s choice and the next batter grounded out.
Thompson started the bottom of the inning with a single and after the next two batters were retired on ground outs they broke the game open. A double scored a run before a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases. The next Thompson batters doubled to clear the bases for a 4-0 lead.
SECOND INNING
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
Thompson led off the bottom of the inning with a double and after a flyout, the next two batters singled to score a run for a 5-0 lead. A sacrifice fly knocked in another run. Then a single, walk, and another single scored two more runs for an 8-0 lead. Two more runs scored on an error and Thompson led 10-0 after two innings.
THIRD INNING
Crookston’s Carter Fee led off the inning with a single and Lucas Perala was hit by a pitch. A balk moved the runners to second and third base and Fee stole home to get Crookston within a 10-1 deficit. The next two batters struck out to retire Crookston.
Thompson added another run in the third inning with a single and a triple for an 11-1 lead.
FOURTH INNING
Crookston’s Lucas Miller crushed a line drive to the right-centerfield gap for a leadoff double. The next three batters were retired.
Thompson added another run with back-to-back doubles for a 12-1 lead through four innings.
FIFTH INNING
Crookston needed at least two runs to keep the game going. The first two batters were retired before a Matthew Contreras single up the middle. THe next batter flew out and Thompson won the game 12-1 in five innings.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Thompson | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 12 | 12 | 1 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Parker Kelly – Crox (LP) | 4.0 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| #6 (WP) | 3.1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| #17 | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Crookston leaders
Matthew Contreras, Blake Melsa, Lucas Miller, and Carter Fee had one hit each. Fee scored the lone run.
GAME TWO
FIRST INNING
Crookston had a great start to the game as Matt Contreras led off with a single and Blake Melsa walked. The next two batters struck out before Gavyn Hlucny singled in two runs for a 2-0 lead. The next batter line out to left field and the Crookston threat was over.
The first two Thompson batters popped out. The next batter walked before a ground out, and Crookston led 2-0 after one inning.
SECOND INNING
With one out in the top of the inning, Crookston’s Cody Demarais reached on a fielder’s choice, and Matt Contreras walked. Blake Melsa followed with a single to score a run for a 3-0 lead.
Thompson’s leadoff batter grounded out before a double. The next batter reached on an error and scored a run. After a single, another run scored on a wild pitch, and Crookston’s lead was 3-2. The next batter hit a pop fly to shallow right-center field, and Crookston’s Lucas Miller made a running grab for the third out of the inning.
THIRD INNING
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the top of the inning.
Thompson started the bottom of the inning with a single, walk, and walk to load the bases. The next batter flew out to right field to score a run to tie the game at 3-3. The next batter struck out for the second out of the inning before a single scored a run for a 4-3 Thompson lead. After a walk, the next batter doubled to score three runs for a 7-3 lead. The next batter flew out to centerfield and the inning was over.
FOURTH INNING
Crookston’s Isaiah Donarski led off the inning with a walk and came into score on a Cody Demarais ground out to get within a 7-4 deficit. Matt Contreras singled, but the next batter grounded out on a tremendous play by the Thompson shortstop for the third out of the inning.
Thompson’s first batter popped out, and after a pair of walks, the next batter reached on an error that allowed three runs to score for a 10-4 lead. The next batter reached on an error before a strikeout for the second out of the inning. There was a triple that scored a run, a run scored on a wild pitch. The next Thompson batter was hit by a pitch before another Crookston error. The game was called after an inside the park homerun allowed three runs to score for a 15-4 victory in four innings for Thompson.
Crookston drops to 1-3 on the year and will host Norman County East/Ulen-Hitterdal on Wednesday at Jim Karn Field.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Crookston | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Thompson | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | – | – | – | 15 | 7 | 1 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Nolan Cassavant-Crox | 3.0 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Carter Fee – Crox | 0.2 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Crookston leaders
Matt Contreras – 2 for 2, run, walk
Blake Melsa – 1 for 2, run, rbi, walk
Gavyn Hlucny – 1 for 2, 2 rbi
