The Crookston Pirate Baseball team went back-and-forth with the Fertile-Beltrami Falcons through all 7 innings, but held on to win 10-9 at Bob Norland Field in Fertile on Tuesday night.
FIRST INNING-
The first inning for the Pirates started off great, with Dexter Janek and Greyson Ecker each getting singles. After a double steal, a groundout from Gavin Hlucny scored Janek to make it 1-0 Pirates. Steven Sather would then get a strikeout and a foulout to end the inning, keeping the damage at just one.
The Falcons got off to a similar start, as a walk and a base hit, followed by a double steal, put runners on second and third with nobody out. this time, Hlucny threw a wild pitch that scored Bryer Strem, tying the game at 1. Caleb Sather would then walk, and then after a strikeout, a shallow flyout kept runners on the corners. However, another wild pitch would score the run, making it 2-1. Then, Kane Oistad would deliver an RBI single, making it 3-1 Falcons at the end of the inning.
SECOND INNING-
The Pirates got a leadoff single from Isaiah Donarski to start the inning, but after a groundout to short moved his courtesy runner up to second, a great pickoff move by Steven Sather got the runner out at second, A strikeout would then end the inning.
In the bottom of the frame, Bryer Strem would get things started with a one-out single. He would then swipe second, and then third base, before a two-out RBI single from Caleb Sather, extending the lead to 4-1 Falcons. The Falcons would get another runner on via error, but a strikeout would end the inning.
THIRD INNING –
In the third inning, the Pirates’ bats began to wake up. Aiden Delage singled and Dexter Janek doubled to put two on, and after a strikeout, Hlucny would walk to load the bases. Then, the hits would keep on coming. Lucas Perala drove in a run, then Cody Demerais would drive in two, followed by Donarski driving in another run, giving the Pirates a 5-4 lead before another out was recorded. Nolan Cassavant was next up, and he hit a sacrifice fly to give the Pirates a 6-4 lead, before a strikeout ended the inning.
Brady Bjerk led off the bottom of the inning with a single, and then Kane Oistad reached on a fielder’s choice. Braxton Paul laid a beauty of a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over, and then for the third time, the Falcons were able to score on a wild pitch, cutting the lead to 6-5. Hlucny was able to bounce back, getting back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
FOURTH INNING-
After a groundout to start the inning, Dexter Janek walked and stole second. This allowed him to score on an RBI Single by Greyson Ecker, making it 7-5 Pirates. The Pirates got a two-out walk from Perala before a diving play at third by Teegyn Johnson ended the rally with just one run.
The Falcons got a one-out walk for their first baserunner of the inning, but then, Dexter Janek made an incredible diving catch for the second out. The runner was then picked off at second base by Hlucny, ending the inning with the minimum faced.
FIFTH INNING-
After two outs, the Pirates got a baserunner with a walk, but the runner would be picked off, ending the inning quickly.
IN the bottom of the inning, an error followed by a single from Brady Bjerk put two on. Then, after a force at third, Braxton Paul would walk to load the bases. Hlucny would get a strikeout, but then get pulled for Dexter Janek. He would allow a two-run single from Bryer Strem to tie the game at 7, followed byu a single from Sather to give the Falcons an 8-7 lead, before a groundout ended the inning.
SIXTH INNING-
The Pirates started the sixth inning with a walk from Aiden Delage, followed by a two-base error, putting two in scoring position with no one out. Greyson Ecker was next, and he would groundout, scoring Delage to tie the game at eight. The next two batters would lineout and groundout respectively, ending the inning with the score tied.
After a groundout to start the sixth, Teegyn Johnson got a potential rally started with a single. Then, Bjerk walked to put two on. A wild pitch then moved the runners to second and third, which gave the Falcons a golden opportunity. However, Dexter Janek came up clutch on the mound, getting a foulout and a flyout to end the inning and preserve the tie.
SEVENTH INNING-
In the seventh, the Pirates got a single from Davin Janek, but then there were two outs with him at second base. From there, though, Drew Gullickson had trouble finding the strike zone, walking back-to-back batters to load the bases. Then, the wild nature of Gullickson got worse, as a wild pitch scored Davin Janek, giving the Pirates a 9-8 lead. Then Dexter Janek contributed with an RBI single, giving the Pirates a 10-8 lead, which would stand headed into the bottom of the seventh.
The Falcons got a leadoff single from Easton Fredericks to start the 7th. After two quick outs from Greyson Ecker, Caleb Sather drove in Fredericks to cut the lead to 10-9. However, he would be left stranded, as Gullickson grounded out to the pitcher, giving the Pirates a well-deserved 10-9 win.
Crookston improves to 1-0 on the year, while Fertile-Beltrami falls to 0-1.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Crookston | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 2 |
| Fertile-Beltrami | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 1 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Dexter Janek – 3 for 4, 2B, RBI, 3 R, BB
Greyson Ecker – 2 for 4, RBI, BB
Cody Demerais – 1 for 4, 2 RBI, R
Fertile-Beltrami –
Caleb Sather – 3 for 4, 2B, 2 RBI
Bryer Strem – 2 for 4, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 SB, 2 R
Brady Bjerk – 2 for 2, 2 BB, 2 R
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
| Gavin Hlucny – Crox | 4.2 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 |
| Dexter Janek – Crox (WP) | 1.1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Greyson Ecker – Crox (S) | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steven Sather – FB | 3 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| Drew Gullickson – FB (LP) | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
