The Crookston Pirate baseball team used a Gavyn Hlucny inside-the-park walk-off two-run homerun to beat the Thief River Falls Prowlers 10-9 in the first game. In game two, Thief River Falls took advantage of 11 Pirate errors and cruised to a 19-5 victory in six innings in a Section 8AA doubleheader played at Jim Karn Field in Crookston.
FIRST INNING-
Thief River Falls’ leadoff batter flew out to left field before Gannon Zutz and Bridger Wilcox singled. The next batter struck out for the second out of the inning. Jameson Hurst hit a hard ground ball to third base and the Pirate didn’t make the play and two runs scored on the error to give the Prowlers a 2-0 lead. Jaxon Hams singled and the Pirate left fielder overran the ball and the error allowed another run to score for a 3-0 lead. Joe Kelly followed with an rbi single and the Prowlers led 4-0.
Crookston answered in the bottom of the inning when Parker Kelly singled, Matt Contreras and Gavyn Hlucny walked to load the bases with one out. Greyson Ecker walked to score a run, Lucas Perala singled to score a run and another run scored on an error, and Crookston trailed 4-3.
SECOND INNING-
The Prowlers’ Landon Wikert led off the inning with a single but was doubled up on a fly out and the next batter grounded out to retire the Prowlers.
Crookston’s Parker Kelly singled with one out and came into score on an error to tie the game at 4-4.
THIRD INNING –
Thief River Falls’ Wilcox singled before the next three batters were retired.
Crookston batted 10 in the bottom of the inning. Fee walked, stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error, and scored on another error to give Crookston a 5-4 lead. After a strikeout, Aiden Delage was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jay Reese reached on an error on the shortstop and Delage scored on the play. Kelly singled to score Reese. Contreras walked and after a flyout, Ecker walked and Kelly scored on an error to give the Pirates an 8-4 lead.
FOURTH INNING-
Thief River Falls chipped away at the deficit when Wade Nelson was hit by a pitch with one out. Landon Wikert singled to score a run. Noah Gonzalez singled and another run scored when Zutz hit a fly to centerfield and the Prowlers trailed 8-6.
Crookston’s Delage singled with one out and after a flyout, Kelly walked but the next batter grounded out, and the inning was over.
FIFTH INNING-
TRF’s Merhkens, Jameson Hurst, and Jaxon Hams all singled to load the bases. Joe Kelly was hit by a pitch to score a run. After a strikeout, Wikert singled in two runs to take a 9-8 lead.
Crookston’s Ecker walked with one out before he was caught stealing before the next batter popped out.
SIXTH INNING-
TRF’s Merhkens singled with one out but was out on a fielder’s choice and the next batter struck out.
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with two strikeouts and a line out to second base.
SEVENTH INNING-
The first Prowler batter popped out before Wade Nelson was hit by a pitch, Wikert singled and Gonzalez was intentionally walked to load the bases. Jay Reese shut the door on the Prowlers by striking out the next two batters to get out of the inning.
Crookston’s first two batters flew out before Contreras walked. Gavyn Hlucny laced a line drive to the left-center field gap and the Prowler centerfielder dove for the ball and it got past him and rolled to the fence (below the 401 feet sign) and Contreras scored. Hlucny kept running and Coach Ben Parkin waved him home at third base and he beat the throw for a walk-off inside-the-park homerun to win the game 10-9.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| TRF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 15 | 7 |
| Crookston | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 3 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Parker Kelly – 3 for 4, 3 runs, rbi, run
Aiden Delage – 1 for 3, run
Gavyn Hlucny – 1 for 4, 2 rbi, 2 runs, home ru, walk
Lucas Perala – 1 for 4, run
Greyson Ecker – 0 for 0, 4 walks
Thief River Falls-
Kaleb Mehrkens – 2 for 2
Jaxon Hams – 2 for 4, rbi, run
Bridger Wilcox – 2 for 5, run
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Parker Kelly-Crox | 6.1 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Jay Reese-Crox | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Jaxon Hams-TRF | 2.1 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Cole Johnson-TRF | 0.2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Kaleb Mehrkens-TRF | 3.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
Game 2 –
FIRST INNING-
TRF’s Zutz singled with one out before the next batter struck out. Hams doubled to score a run, Hurst tripled to score a run. An error allowed another run to score and after a walk, Gannon Gonsorowski singled to score another run for a 4-0 lead, just like the first game.
Crookston, just like the first game, answered as Reese was hit by a pitch, Kelly walked and Contreras doubled to score two runs. Hlucny walked and Ecker singled to score a run to bring the Pirates within a 4-3 deficit. The next three batters struck out and Crookston was retired.
SECOND INNING-
Thief River Falls was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with three ground outs.
Crookston’s Nolan Cassavant walked before the next three batters were retired.
THIRD INNING –
Thief River Falls broke the game open in the top of the inning when Hams reached on an error, Hurst and Joe Kelly singled to score a run. Mehrkens added another single to score another run for a 7-3 lead. Gonsorowski was hit by a pitch, Wikert reached on another Pirate error and a run scored. After the first out of the inning, Ryan Flaagen singled to score two runs for an 11-3 lead.
Crookston’s Hlucny singled up the middle and Ecker walked before the next three batters were retired.
FOURTH INNING-
The first two Thief River Falls batters were retired before Gonsorowski, Wilkert, and Gonzalez walked to load the bases. Three runs scored on an error for a 14-3 lead.
Crookston answered in the bottom of the inning when Cassavant walked. The next two batters were retired before Contreras walked and Hlucny reached on an error and Ecker walked to score a run. Perala reached on an error and another run scored and Crookston trailed 14-5.
FIFTH INNING-
Thief River Falls was retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
The first two Pirate batters were retired before Reese walked. The next batter was retired.
SIXTH INNING-
Thief River Falls broke the game open even more with a triple and an error allowing a run to score. After a ground out, another run scored on an error. Gonzalez singled to score a run and Zutz doubled to score another run. After a Flaagen single, a run scored on a Hams sacrifice fly for a 19-5 lead.
Crookston’s first two batters were retired before Ecker and Perala walked. The next batter lined out and the game was over with Thief River Falls winning 19-5.
Crookston is 3-8 on the year and will play at Fosston on Friday at 4:30 p.m. KROX will have the game on the radio. Thief River Falls is 8-6 on the year.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
| TRF | 4 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 19 | 13 | 2 |
| Crookston | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 11 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Greyson Ecker – 1 for 1, 2 rbi, 3 walks
Matt Contreras – 1 for 3, 2 rbi, 2 runs, walk
Gavyn Hlucny – 1 for 3, walk
Thief River Falls-
Ryan Flaagen – 2 for 4, rbi
Hurst – 2 for 4, 2 runs, rbi, walk
Gannon Zutz – 2 for 5, 3 runs, rbi
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Greyson Ecker-Crox | 2.0 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Nolan Cassavant-Crox | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Logan Kriel-TRF | 3.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
