The Crookston Pirate Baseball team got a walkoff single from Dexter Janek, leading them to an 8-7 victory in a wild game over the Fosston Greyhounds at Jim Karn Field on Thursday afternoon.
FIRST INNING-
After Isaiah Donarski got his first batter out, Jakob Rudie reached with a walk. He would reach second on a groundout, before Parker Nelson came up and drove him in with an RBI double to right field, making it 1-0 Greyhounds. Then, an error by the Pirates scored Nelson, putting Fosston up 2-0. The Greyhounds got another hit before Donarski caught a comebacker right back to him to end the inning with two stranded.
Tucker Djernes struck out the first three batters he faced in the bottom of the first, but Greyson Ecker reached first base as the ball got past the catcher. However, nothing came of that, as a popout ended the inning for the Pirates.
SECOND INNING-
Donarski got two outs quickly with a groundout and a strikeout before the Greyhounds looked to start a two-out rally, getting a runner on an error and then a walk from Jakob Rudie. However, their rally would end on an athletic catch from Lucas Perala in foul territory, ending the inning with no damage.
The Pirates got off to a great start to the home half of the inning, with a single from Donarski and Cody Demerais reaching on an error. After a runner was caught stealing, Nolan Cassavant got a base hit to put runners on the corners. He would then swipe second, bringing up Davin Janek, who would drive in two to tie the game at 2 with a single to center. Djernes would then bounce back, striking out the next two batters to end the inning.
THIRD INNING –
The Greyhounds looked to get back in front, and were off to a decent start in the third with back-to-back one-out walks. However, Donarski really settled in, striking out the next two batters looking to end the third, again working around traffic and allowing no damage.
IN the bottom of the inning, Greyson Ecker led off by reaching on an error, and then Hlucny delivered a base hit, putting two on with nobody out. However, the rally would end quickly, as after a popout, Donarski would ground into a 4-3 double play, ending the inning with another zero on the board.
FOURTH INNING-
Isaiah Donarski had his best inning in the fourth, getting a groundout, a strikeout and a popout with just one two-out walk sprinkled in, keeping the game tied at two.
The Pirates got a one-out single from Nolan Cassavant, his second hit of the game, but Davin Janek and Aiden Delage both were retired on two hard lineouts to end the fourth inning, keeping the game tied at two headed to the fifth inning.
FIFTH INNING-
Parker Nelson led off the fifth with a walk for Fosston. He made it all the way to third on a wild pitch and an error, putting runners on the corners with one out. Donarski got a strikeout, but then Darien Holzer delivered an RBI infield single to give Fosston a 3-2 lead. Donarski would then get a strikeout to end the frame.
Dexter Janek led off the inning with a single, and then scored quickly, as Greyson Ecker drove him in with an RBI double, tying the game at three. Tucker Djernes was able to settle in from there, getting two groundouts and a popout to strand Ecker in scoring position, and the game stayed tied at three headed into the sixth.
SIXTH INNING-
Nolan Cassavant came in to pitch for the Pirates, and after a flyout, Jakob Rudie singled, and reached second on an error. That wouldn’t be the only heads-up baserunning play by Rudie, as on a wild pitch, he scored from second, putting the Greyhounds back on top 4-3. Parker Nelson would then single, and after he reached second on a wild pitch, Jake Howard drove him in with an RBI single to right, giving the Greyhounds a 5-3 lead. Cassavant would then get a groundout to end the frame.
Jakob Rudie came in to pitch for the Greyhounds, and after a groundout to start the inning, the Pirates got to him, with back-to-back base hits from Cassavant and Davin Janek. A wild pitch would score Cassavant to cut the lead to 5-4, and then after Delage walked, Dexter Janek pulled the Pirates ahead with a two-run double, putting the Pirates up 6-5, their first lead of the game. Janek would then score on an RBI single from Greyson Ecker, putting the Pirates up 7-5, which would stick until the seventh.
SEVENTH INNING-
Greyson Ecker came on for the Pirates to try and get the save, but after an early out, a double got Fosston going. After a wild pitch moved the runner to third, a groundout from Jake Wickham scored the run to cut the lead to one. Then, Tanner Vig hit a single, Jakob Rudie walked, and Mitchell Mulry tied the game with a single, making it 7-7. Parker Nelson would then strikeout to end the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, Isaiah Donarski led off with a double, and was pinch ran for by Jaron Knutson. A wild pitch moved him over to third, and then after a strikeout, Fosston intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases. Delage popped out, which brought up Dexter Janek, who hit a fly ball to right that Gavin Curfman lost in the sun, allowing the PIrates to hang on to win 8-7.
Crookston improves to 2-0 on the season, while Fosston falls to 1-1.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Fosston | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 3 |
| Crookston | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 4 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Dexter Janek – 3 for 5, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R
Nolan Cassavant – 3 for 3, BB, 2 R
Greyson Ecker – 2 for 4, 2B, RBI
Fosston-
Parker Nelson – 2 for 4, 2B, RBI, BB, 3 R
Dairen Holzer – 1 for 3, RBI
Jakob Rudie – 1 for 1, 4 BB, R
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Isaiah Donarski – Crox | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Nolan Cassavant – Crox | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Greyson Ecker – Crox (WP) | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Tucker Djernes – Fosston | 5.1 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Jakob Rudie – Fosston (LP) | 1.1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
