CROOKSTON BASEBALL LOSES BOTH GAMES OF DOUBLEHEADER TO ROSEAU

The Crookston Pirate Baseball team could not find an offensive groove as they were stymied at the plate, losing to the Roseau Rams 11-0 and 13-1 in a doubleheader played in Crookston at Jim Karn Field.

GAME ONE-
Roseau got off to a good start in the first inning of game one with four runs. A quick first pitch out was followed by the next six hitters reaching base. Two of the batters reached on errors, two on walks, and two had RBI hits. Zach Jaenicke had an RBI double and Brock Monsrud had a single to drive in two. The fourth run scored on one of the errors. “I thought Carter pitched well. A we had a few errors that hurt him out on the mound. It’s tough to have to get extra outs,” said Pirates Head Coach Mitch Bakken.
Crookston was retired in order on three strikeouts in the bottom of the first.

Roseau was able to scrape across another run in the second inning. The first hitter was struck out, and then a walk and fielder’s choice left the Rams with a runner on first and two outs. Another walk moved a runner into scoring position and came around to score on a RBI single that ricocheted off the mound and into the air behind second base. The run gave the Rams a 5-0 lead.
Crookston got a leadoff single from Carter Bruggeman, but a line drive was turned into a double play as the courtesy runner had no chance to get back to first in time. Ethan Boll then singled with two outs. However, another liner fell right into the glove of the Roseau shortstop to end the inning. “We had some decently hit balls… they were just right at people,” said Coach Bakken.

The Pirates allowed two baserunners on a walk and hit by pitch, but Bruggeman, Crookston’s starting pitcher, got a couple of infield flyouts to put up his first zero of the game.
Crookston remained scoreless after three innings as they were retired in order.

Roseau was able to add on a few more runs in the fourth inning. Again with two outs, a walk put runners on first and second and the Pirates brought in a reliever as Bruggeman was at 96 pitches. Boll came in for his first pitching appearance of the season, and the first batter sent a flyball down the left field line and a diving play could not be made as the ball got to the wall and scored two more Rams on a triple. A pitch later, the runner scored from third on a wild pitch to give Roseau a 8-0 lead.

Roseau added on some insurance runs and got into the ten-run rule distance with three more runs in the fifth inning. The Rams alternated walks and flyouts between their first five hitters of the inning leaving them with the bases loaded and two outs. A single scored the first run and the next two runs scored on wild pitches to make it 11-0.
Crookston needed at least two runs to send the game into another inning, but they only got a two-out walk from George Widman in the fifth as they fell in game one by a final score of 11-0.

For CROOKSTON
Carter Bruggeman- 1 for 1 with a walk
Ethan Boll- 1 for 1

For Roseau
Brock Monsrud- 2 for 3, 3 RBI, run
Cooper Flaig- 1 for 3, 2 RBI, run
Race Knochenmus and Zach Jaenicke- one hit and RBI apiece

GAME TWO-
Roseau was held scoreless in the first inning as Jacob Miller, the Pirates’ starting pitcher, worked around a walk and base hit including a strikeout to end the inning.
Crookston got a leadoff walk from Gunner Gunderson, but the next three Pirates were retired to keep the game scoreless after one inning.

The Rams struck big in the second inning, putting up a crooked number with nine runs. The first ten hitters for Roseau reached base, on five hits, three errors, and two walks. An error started the inning and was followed by a walk and an RBI single to get the first run. After another walk, a single brought in two more. A single loaded the bases before another error scored two more. Roseau then added consecutive run-scoring hits to make it 7-0. The third error of the inning increased the lead to 8-0 and a sacrifice fly made it 9-0. It looked like Roseau was going to add another run on a sacrifice fly but the runner left early and Crookston turned it into a double play to end the inning. “They did what they needed to do to put the ball in play and find holes,” explained Coach Bakken. “That’s what good teams are going to do.”
Crookston had a 1-2-3 inning on a couple of groundouts and a strikeout.

Roseau got back into the scoring column with four more runs in the third. The first three batters reached on a walk, single, and walk to load the bases with nobody out. A sacrifice fly made it a 10-0 game. A walk re-loaded the bases and was followed by an RBI single. The next batter struck out looking. With two outs, a bases-loaded walk increased the Roseau lead to 13-0.
Crookston was able to answer back in the bottom of the inning with a run. Gunderson was hit by a pitch with two outs. Miller hit a grounder to third and the throw to first skipped all the way to the fence allowing Gunderson to score from first and Miller to reach third. Crookston was not able to score Miller from third as a groundout on a good play from the second baseman ended the inning with a 13-1 score.

Crookston put another zero on the board in the fourth. They allowed two walks, including a leadoff walk but with a runner at third, Cade Coauette got a looking strikeout to strand a runner at third.
Crookston was able to get a two-out single from Boll but a flyout kept the score at 13-1 after four innings.

Brooks Butt put up another scoreless inning in the fifth inning. He gave up a single with one out, but a slick double play turned by Widman and Miller ended the inning.
Crookston needed at least three runs to move the game into a sixth inning. Gunderson reached on a two-out error but a line drive out ended the game with Roseau winning 13-1. “I thought we did a lot of good things today, said Coach Bakken. “I don’t think we need to change much. Obviously, we are going to work on our infield and just get a lot of reps in.”

Crookston falls to 2-2 on the year. They will get back at it this weekend in the Jim Karn Classic. They will play Hillsboro on Friday night at 6 pm and Barnesville on Saturday afternoon at 2 pm. “We just need to come out with some intensity and want to step on the gas like we did in the first two games,” added Coach Bakken about this weekend’s games.
Roseau improves to 4-2. They will travel to Fosston on Friday to take on the Greyhounds.

For CROOKSTON
Ethan Boll- 1 for 2 (The only Pirate hit)

For Roseau
Cooper Flaig- 2 for 2, two RBI, run
Zach Jaenicke- 1 for 1, two RBI, run
Isaac Moser- 3 for 4, two runs
Aaron Wensloff- 1 for 2, two RBI, two runs