The Crookston Pirate Baseball team played two solid games, but the Warroad Warriors came up with more big hits in 3-2 and 5-3 victories in a Section 8AA doubleheader played in Warroad.
FIRST INNING-
Crookston had a good start to the game when Matt Contreras had a great at-bat. He fouled off several pitches and forced a full count. The next pitch was a ball and he led off the game with a walk. Matt stole second base and moved to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Greyson Ecker hit a line drive up the middle for a base hit and Contreras scored for a 1-0 lead.
The first two Warroad batters were retired before Liam Grover singled and stole second base. Sam Hard walked before Crookston’s Contreras was called for a balk and the runners advanced to second and third base. Kael Thompson got the count to a full count and blooped a single into shallow left field to score two runs and the Warriors took a 2-1 lead.
SECOND INNING-
Crookston responded in the top of the inning when Lucas Perala led off with a double. Cody Demarais bunted back to the pitcher and he looked to third, but Perala was already on the base and everybody was safe. Demarais stole second base and the throw went into centerfield and Perala scored to tie the game at 2-2.
Crookston’s Contreras was dealing in the bottom of the inning as he struck out the first batter looking, he struck out the second batter swinging, and the third batter looking for a 1-2-3 inning.
THIRD INNING –
Crookston’s Gavyn Hlucny singled with one out before the next batter hit into a 6-4-3 double play and the Pirates ended the third straight inning with a double play.
Warroad’s Kasen Pietruscewski walked with one out and Liam Grover singled to left field. The Crookston fielder overran the ball allowing the runner to advance to third base and the throw to second was off the mark and Grover advanced to second base. A wild pitch allowed a run to score and Warroad took a 3-2 lead. Contreras came up big and struck out the next two batters to strand Grover at third base.
FOURTH INNING-
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with a strikeout, flyout, and another strikeout.
The first two Warroad batters were retired before Brady Fast walked and Barrett Hontvet singled. The next batter lined out to the shortstop and the inning was over.
FIFTH INNING-
The first Crookston batter popped out to second base before Aiden Delage singled to right field. The next batter hit into a double play and it was the fourth time in five innings the Pirates ended the inning with a double play.
Warroad was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with a popout to the catcher and back-to-back ground outs to short stop for a quick 1-2-3 inning.
SIXTH INNING-
Crookston’s Hlucny and Ecker reached on one-out walks and Warroad made a pitching change. The Warriors brought in Kasen Pietruszewski and he got a ground out and a strikeout to get out of the inning.
Crookston’s Contreras struck out the first two batters. Warroad’s Wesley Shreiner singled before Contreras struck out the next batter to get out of the inning as Warroad took a 3-2 lead into the seventh inning.
SEVENTH INNING-
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with a ground out and two strikeouts and Warroad won the game 3-2.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Crookston | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Warroad | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 | 5 | 1 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Gavyn Hlucny – 1 for 2, rbi, run
Greyson Ecker – 1 for 2, rbi, walk
Lucas Perala – 1 for 3, run, double
Nolan Cassavant – 1 for 3
Aiden Delage – 1 for 3
Warroad-
Liam Grover – 2 for 3, run
Barrett Hontvet – 1 for 2
Kael Thompson – 1 for 3, 2 rbi
William Shreiner – 1 for 3
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Matt Contreras-Crox | 6.0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
| Kael Thompson-War | 5.1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Kasen Pietruszewski-War | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Game 2 –
FIRST INNING-
Crookston’s Contreras started the game by reaching on an error, Parker Kelly walked. The next two batters were retired before Perala walked to load the bases. The next batter struck out and the Pirate threat was over.
The first two Warroad batters were retired before Liam Grover reached on an infield single, but advanced to second on an error. The next batter popped out to second base.
SECOND INNING-
The first two Crookston batters were retired before Nolan Cassavant walked. The next batter flew out to left field and the half-inning was over.
Warroad was retired in 1-2-3 fashion including two strikeouts to end the inning and the game was scoreless after two innings.
THIRD INNING –
With one out, Hlucny helped his cause with a single followed by another single from Ecker. Hlucny advanced to third on the single and came into score on a wild pitch to give Crookston a 1-0 lead.
The first two Warroad batters were retired before Ryan Chamernick walked, Pietruszewski singled and a run scored on a throwing error to tie the game at 1-1. Grover followed with an rbi double for a 2-1 lead and Hard followed with a rbi double to give the Warriors a 3-1 lead.
FOURTH INNING-
The first two Crookston batters were retired before Contreras walked, but the next batter struck out.
Warroad’s Rose was hit by a pitch before he was picked off for the first out. The next batter grounded out before Hontvet reached on an error. The next batter struck out and Warroaad took a 3-1 lead into the fifth inning.
FIFTH INNING-
Crookston’s Hlucny walked to lead off the inning. He stole second base and moved to third base on a ground out. The next two batters struck out and the Pirate threat was over.
Warroad added two more runs in the bottom of the inning when Pietruszewski doubled and scored on a Grover triple. Hard followed with a single to score another run for a 5-1 lead.
SIXTH INNING-
Crookston’s Delage led off with a walk, but was out on a fielder’s choice. The next batter struck out before another out on a fielder’s choice to retire the Pirates.
Warroad was retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
SEVENTH INNING-
Crookston’s Kelly led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Hlucny singled to right field to move Kelly to third base. Hlucny stole second base and moved to third on a ground out. Perala grounded out to score Hlucny and Crookston trailed 5-3. Fee was hit by a pitch and the tying run was at the plate, but the next batter struck out and Warroad won 5-3.
Crookston drops to 2-7 on the year and will host Thief River Falls for a doubleheader on Thursday. Warroad improves to 5-7 on the year and will play Proctor and Esko this weekend.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Warroad | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 5 | 7 | 1 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Gavyn Hlucny – 2 for 3, 2 runs, walk
Greyson Ecker – 1. for 4
Parker Kelly – 0 for 2, 2 walks, run
Warroad-
Liam Grover – 2 for 3, 2 runs, 2 rbi, triple, double
Sam Hard – 2 for 3, 2 rbi
Kasen Pietruszewski – 1 for 3, 2 runs
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Gavyn Hlucny-Crox | 6.0 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Brady Fast – War | 5.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 9 |
| Kasen Pietruszewski-War | 2.0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
