The Crookston Pirate Softball team lost an 8-6 heartbreaker in eight innings to the Grand Forks Central Knights at Apollo Field in Grand Forks.
Crookston got off to a good start with a one-out Kenze Epema double to the gap in left-centerfield. After a ground out, Jenna Coauette hit a line drive to right-centerfield to score Epema for a 1-0 lead. Coauette advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on another passed ball and Crookston led 2-0.
Grand Forks Central responded with two runs in the bottom of the first inning after a hit batter, double, and a ground out to tie the game at 2-2 after one inning.
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the top of the second inning.
Grand Forks Central took advantage of a leadoff walk and two passed balls and a ground out to score another run to take a 3-2 lead.
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion again in the top of the third inning. Central responded with a two-out triple and scored a run on another passed ball for a 4-2 lead after three innings.
Crookston answered in the top of the fourth inning when Amber Cymbaluk reached on an error, Coauette reached on a fielder’s choice and an error. With runners at first and second base, the next batter struck out and Julia Lallier drew a walk to load the bases. Quinn Siegle hit a line drive to score two runs to tie the game at 4-4.
Central’s leadoff batter reached on an error and advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on a ground out to give the Knights a 5-4 lead after four innings of play.
In the top of the fifth inning, Crookston led off the inning with a single from Emily Tate. After a strikeout, Epema singled to move Tate to third. Cymbaluk grounded out and Tate scored to tie the game at 5-5. Coauette followed with a triple to score Epema for a 6-5 Pirate lead.
It looked like Crookston was going to retire Central in 1-2-3 fashion, but with two outs they drew a walk which was followed by a double to score a run to tie the game at 6-6.
Neither team scored in the sixth or seventh inning, forcing extra innings. In the top of the eighth inning. The first two Crookston batters were retired. Emily Bowman singled and the next batter was out. Central had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. Crookston committed an error on a line drive allowing a base runner. The next batter singled and both runners advanced to second and third base after a bad Pirate throw. The next batter hit a blooper over second base and Central won the game 7-6.
Crookston drops to 0-4 on the season and will host Ada-Borup/West at 4:30 p.m. on Friday and you can listen to the game on KROX Radio.
Grand Forks Central improves to 3-3 on the year.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | |
| CROOKSTON | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| GF Central | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
For Crookston
Jenna Coauette – 2-4, 2 rbi, triple
Kenze Epema – 2-4, run
