CROOKSTON LEGION BASEBALL SPLITS WITH BGMR

The Crookston American Legion Baseball team split a double-header with Badger-Greenbush-Middle River, losing the first game 11-5 and winning the second game 2-1 at Jim Karn Field in Crookston.

GAME ONE-
The Crookston American Legion Baseball team dropped game one of their double-header against Badger-Greenbush-Middle River 11-5 in a game played at Jim Karn Field in Crookston.
Crookston took an early lead with two runs in the first inning. Jackson Seibel walked while Tanner Reinhart reached on an error before Gavin Salem plated both runners with a two-out, bloop single that fell in shallow right field to give Crookston a 2-0 lead after one inning. The Gators responded with four runs to take the lead in the second inning as five walks and one hit-by-pitch in the second inning allowed BGMR to claim a 4-2 lead without swinging the bat. Crookston reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the second inning. An error followed by three straight walks including an RBI walk for Brady Butt tied cut the deficit down to one run before Tanner Reinhart drove a sacrifice fly into left field tying the game at 4-4. Brooks Butt singled home the final run of the inning giving Crookston a 5-4 lead. Crookston was shutout the rest of the first game while the Gators managed to put the game away with a big fourth inning. A walk followed by back-to-back singles put the first three base runners on for BGMR followed by a hit-by-pitch tied the game. The Gators took the lead for good with two more singles as well as a walk completing the six-run inning giving the visitors a 10-5 lead. BGMR added one more run in the final inning to finish off the 11-5 game one victory. “In our first game our pitching was a little suspect,” explained coach Kent Shafer.

Brooks Butt pitched the final 3-plus innings of game one

For Crookston
Alex LaFrance – 2-3
Gavin Salem 1-2, 2 rbi

GAME TWO-
In the second game of the night, Crookston’s Brady Butt delivered a dominant performance both on the mound and at the plate. Butt allowed just one run in the complete five-inning performance as the game’s leadoff single scored on a wild pitch to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Crookston tied the game in the bottom of the first inning after a Brady Butt single Tanner Reinhart singled and Gavin Salem was hit by a pitch loading the bases for Jackson Seibel who knocked a single into the outfield scoring Butt and tying the game at 1-1. Brady Butt cruised through his final four innings on the mound allowing just one hit in the final four frames and setting up a walk-off win in the bottom of the fifth inning. “I think he just kind of got a good rhythm going, it cooled down a little bit and motivated him to get going,” explained Shafer. Butt started the inning with a double and advanced to third base after a single from Tanner Reinhart. An intentional walk issued to Brooks Butt loaded the bases for Gavin Salem who drove a fly ball into centerfield for the walk-off sacrifice fly as Brady Butt scored from third base securing Crookston’s first win of the summer with a 2-1 walk-off victory. “It was nice, we had very good pitching from Brady (Butt), good defense behind him, and our sticks came around so it was all really nice to see,” summarized Shafer. “It was good to see (Gavin) provide some good, fundamental baseball. I’m hoping our pitching continues to turn around and our sticks continue to improve.”
Crookston improves to 1-5 on the season and returns to the diamond on Monday night with a double-header against Stephen-Argyle in Argyle beginning with game one at 5 PM.

Jackson Seibel scores a run and Alex LaFrance makes contact in one of his at-bats

For Crookston
Brady Butt – 2-3, 2 runs, double
Tanner Reinhart – 2-3
Gavin Salem, 1-2, rbi
Jackson Seibel – 1-2, rbi