The Crookston Pirate Baseball team scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to beat the Hawley Nuggets 5-4 in a Section 8AA matchup in Hawley.
FIRST INNING
Crookston had a threat in the first inning when Greyson Ecker and Matt Contreras walked with one out. The following two batters were retired.
Hawley’s Dillon Hoekstra reached on an error with one out, followed by Tommy Slette, who reached on a walk. The following two batters were retired.
SECOND INNING
Crookton’s Parker Kelly led off the inning with a walk and a stolen base. Nolan Cassavant followed with a walk, and the Pirates had runners at first and second base with one out. The following two batters were retired.
Hawley’s first batter was retired before Carter Ambuehl singled. A pitch hit Jayden Ambuehl, and Brody Hadley singled to score the first run of the game. The pitcher, Aiden Eilertson, helped his cause with a single to score two runs for a 3-0 lead.
THIRD INNING
Matt Contreras doubled to right field with one out, and Blake Melsa singled to score a run. After an out, Parker Kelly singled to score another run, and Crookston trailed 3-2.
Hawley’s Cael Komatka singled and was out on a fielder’s choice at second base. Owen Becker walked and was out on another fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning. The next batter grounded out, and Hawley led 3-2.
FOURTH INNING
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion. Hawley’s Eilertson singled with one out and stole second base. Hoekstra singled to score a run for a 4-2 lead.
FIFTH INNING
The first two Crookston batters were retired before Melsa walked. The next batter struck out. Crookston’s Lucas Miller tied a state and national record in the bottom of the inning as all three batters flew out to center field, and he made the catch on all three. He shares the record with many.
SIXTH INNING
Both teams were retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the inning.
SEVENTH INNING
The first Crookston batter was retired in the top of the inning before Miller reached on an error and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Hawley made a pitching change, and a pitch hit Ecker. The next batter struck out, but a wild pitch allowed runners to move to second and third base with two outs. Melsa hit a bloop single to right field to score two runs to tie the game 4-4. Gavyn Hlucny followed with a single to score Melsa from second base for a 5-4 lead.
Crookston had to make a pitching change as Melsa reached the pitch limit, and Ecker came in to pitch the seventh inning. The first batter reached on an error before he was caught stealing. The next batter walked before a strikeout for the second out of the inning. The final batter hit a groundball to shortstop, and Crookston got the out at second to win the game 5-4.
Crookston improves 5-8 on the season. On Monday, they travel to Glyndon to take on Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton. Hawley drops to 6-11 on the year.
CLICK BELOW to hear Coach Ben Parkin’s comments.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Hawley | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Blake Melsa – Crox (WP) | 6.0 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Greyson Ecker – Crox (S) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Aiden Eilertson – Haw | 6.1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Hayden Run – Haw (LP) | 0.2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Crookston leaders
Blake Melsa – 2 for 3, 3 rbi, 2 runs, walk
Parker Kelly – 1 for 2, 2 walks, rbi
Matt Contreras – 1 for 3, double, run, walk
Gavyn Hlucny – 1 for 4, rbi
Hawley leaders
Aiden Eilertson – 2 for 4, 2 rbi, run
Carter Ambuehl – 1 for 3, run
Brody Hadley – 1 for 3, rbi, run
Cael Kosmatka – 1 for 3, walk
Tommy Slette – 1 for 3, walk
Dillon Hoekstra – 1 for 4
