The Crookston American Legion Post 20 Baseball team led most of the way, but the Fargo Post 2 Bombers battled back to win the first game 5-4 and Crookston trailed and a seventh inning comeback came up a run short in a 6-5 loss to the Minot Metros in the first day of the Essentia Health Fargo Legion Baseball tournament at Jack Williams Stadium in Fargo.
FIRST INNING-
Crookston’s first two batters were retired on fly outs before Teagen Lubinski doubled and Gavyn Hlucny walked. The next batter struck out.
Crookston’s Parker Kelly had a great start to the game, letting his defense do the work. He retired Fargo in 1-2-3 fashion with a pair of groundouts and a popout.
SECOND INNING-
Crookston’s Cody Demarais drew a walk with one out before a pitch hit Carter Fee. The next batter hit into a fielder’s choice, and Fargo got the out at second base before Fargo picked off a Crookston baserunner.
Crookston’s defense continued its good start as Fargo led off the bottom of the inning before the next batter hit a line drive back at Kelly on the mound, and he threw to first base for a double play. The next batter struck out and the inning was over with the game still scoreless.
THIRD INNING –
Kelly started the top of the third inning when a pitch hit him. Matt Contreras followed with a double over the centerfielder’s head to score Kelly, and Crookston took a 1-0 lead. The next three batters were retired.
Fargo drew a one-out walk before the next two batters were retired.
FOURTH INNING-
Crookston’s first two batters were retired by a strikeout and a ground out and Carter Fee was batting with a one-ball count when lighting struck and the game was delayed for 30 minutes. The first pitch after the rain delay hit Fee, the second time he was hit by a pitch in the game. The next batter was retired.
FIFTH INNING-
Crookston’s Kelly started the inning with a single. After a strikeout, Lubinski and Hlucny walked to load the bases. Blake Melsa singled down the third base line to score two runs and Crookston had a 3-0 lead. The next two batters were retired.
Fargo led off the bottom of the inning with a double. After a strikeout, the next two batters walked to load the bases. The next batter hit a line drive to Crookston second baseman Cody Demarais who caught the ball for the second out and flipped the ball to second base where Lubinski was covering to get the second double play of the game, and more importantly getting Crookston out of the jam.
SIXTH INNING
The first Crookston batter popped out in foul territory before Lucas Miller reached on an error. The next two batters were retired.
Fargo finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning with three singles in a row and got within a 3-2 deficit with nobody out. The next batter singled and runners were at the corners. The next batter grounded out and a run scored to tie the game at 3-3. After a groundout, the next batter singled to score a run and Fargo led 4-3.
SEVENTH INNING
Crookston’s Blake Melsa reache don an error with two outs before Isaiah Donarski singled to center field. The Fargo centerfielder over ran the ball, allowing Melsa to score to tie the game 4-4. The next batter lined out for the third out of the inning.
Fargo needed a run to win the game. The first two batters lined out. After a pitching change, the next batter walked and stole second base to put the winning run at second base. The next batter singled to left field and the runner from second base scored and Fargo won the game 5-4.
Crookston drops to 11-10 on the year and will play the Minot Metros at 1:00 p.m. Fargo improves to 22-5.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Fargo Bombers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 5 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Parker Kelly – 1 for 3, 2 runs
Teagen Lubinski – 1 for 3, run, walk
Matt Contreras – 1 for 4, rbi
Blake Melsa – 1 for 4, 2 rbi, run
Isaiah Donarski – 1 for 4
Fargo Bombers-
.C. Holt – 3 for 4, 2 rbi, run
C. Gephart – 2 for 3, run
Four batters with a hit apiece
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Parker Kelly – Crox | 6.2 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Isaiah Donarski-Crox | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| E. Schneider-Fargo | 4.1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| E. Butenhoff-Fargo | 2.2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Game 2 – vs Minot Metros
FIRST INNING-
Crookston’s Teagen Lubinski reached on an infield single with one out before the next batter hit into a double play.
Crookston’s Aidan Delage retired the first two batters of the bottom of the inning. After a hit batter and a walk, the next batter singled to left field to score a run. The next batter singled to score two runs for a 3-0 lead. Crookston would retire the next batter and Minot took a 3-0 lead into the second inning.
SECOND INNING-
Crookston’s Lucas Perala started the inning with a double to right field and after an out, Nolan Cassavant singled to left field to score a run to get within a 3-1 deficit. The next two batters were retired.
With one out, Minot had two singles and a run scored on a throwing error for a 4-1 lead. Another run scored on a passed ball. The next batter grounded out and a run scored for a 6-1 lead.
THIRD INNING –
Crookston’s Aiden Delage started the inning with a single and moved to second base on a ground out. Lubinski reached on a fielder’s choice when Minot got the out at third base. Teagen stole second and moved over to third base on a wild pitch. Hlucny walked. Lucas Perala walked to load the bases. The next batter struck out for the third out of the inning.
Minot started the bottom of the inning with a single. The next two batters were retired before a walk. A Minot runner was picked off at third base.
FOURTH INNING-
Crookston’s Nolan Cassavant led off the fourth inning with a single. After an out, Tarek Siegle walked before the next two batters were retired.
Minot was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with two fly outs and a strikeout.
FIFTH INNING-
Crookston’s Teagen Lubinski started the inning with a single and after the next two batters were retired, Donarski walked and Cassvant singled to score a run. Another run scored on a wild pitch and Crookston trailed 6-3.
Minot had a batter hit by a pitch and another batter walked with one out before the next two batters were retired.
SIXTH INNING
Crookston had a great start to the sixth inning with singles from Delage, Kelly, and Lubinski. The next three batters were retired with a infield fly and two strikeouts.
Minot had a batter reach on an error and a walk with one out before the next two batters grounded out.
SEVENTH INNING
Crookston needed three runs to tie the game and Cassavant singled and after a ground out, a pitch hit Contreras. After another ground out, Kelly doubled to score two runs to get within a 6-5 deficit. The next batter hit a solid ground ball, but the Minot second baseman made a nice play to get the third out and Minot held on for a 6-5 victory.
Crookston drops to 11-11 on the year and they will play Excelsior and the Fargo Jets on Saturday at 4:30 and 7:00 p.m.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Crookston | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 4 |
| Minot | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 | 5 | 2 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS-
Crookston –
Nolan Cassavant – 4 for 4, 2 rbi, run
Teagen Lubinski – 3 for 4, run
Parker Kelly – 2 for 5, 2 rbi
Aiden Delage – 2 for 4
Lucs Perala – 1 for 3, run, walk
Minot Metros-
Five players had one hit each.
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Aidan Delage-Crox | 1.1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Nolan Cassavant-Crox | 2.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Teagen Lubinski-Crox | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Lucas Miller-Crox | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| G. King-Minot | 4.1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| B. Vigestad-Minot | 1.2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| J. Price-Minot | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
