Crookston Legion Baseball uses five-run sixth to take down Fertile

The Crookston American Legion Post #20 Baseball team got their first win of the early summer season, taking down Fertile by a score of 10-6 at Jim Karn Field on Wednesday evening.

FIRST INNING
Fertile got started with two walks in the first three batters, and after a wild pitch, Fertile had runners on the corners with one out. Caleb Sather would then drive in a run on a groundout, and then a second run would score on a wild pitch, giving Fertile a 2-0 at the end of the frame. The game was then delayed for just shy of 45 minutes due to a thunderstorm.
Upon the resumption of the game, Crookston got a one-out walk from Matt Contreras, but two groundouts and a flyout would end the inning.

SECOND INNING
In the top of the second, Fertile was stymied by Contreras on the mound, despite a two-out single from Rowan Benoit.
The bottom of the inning became much more fruitful for Crookston. Parker Kelly led off with a walk and stole second, and then after a strikeout Cody Demerais would drive him in, cutting the score to 2-1. After another strikeout, Crookston would then deliver back-to-back singles, with the latter coming from Dexter Janek. That hit drove in two to put Crookston up 3-2. Janek would later score on a passed ball to make it 4-2 before the inning ended.

THIRD INNING
In the third, after two quick outs, Fertile was able to get one back, as after Bryer Strem doubled, Caleb Sather would single and drive him in, cutting the lead to 4-3 before a flyout ended the inning.
Crookston looked to do major damage in the bottom of the frame, as two singles and a walk would quickly load the bases with no one out. Cody Demerais would single in a run to make it 5-3, but that’s all they would get, as two strikeouts and an out at the plate on a wild pitch ended the inning with no more damage.

FOURTH INNING
After a popout started the fourth inning, Fertile got rolling with a single and a walk. A wild pitch moved the runners over, and then after a strikeout, another wild pitch would cut the lead to 5-4. Steven Sather then was able to come through, driving in the tying run to knot the game at five by inning’s end.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Bryer Strem’s control began to leave him, and he walked the bases loaded with two outs for Parker Kelly. Fertile changed pitchers to Steven Sather, and he induced a popout to end the inning and keep the game tied.

FIFTH INNING
In the fifth, Fertile perfectly manufactured a run, as Bryer Strem walked, stole second, reached third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly, putting Fertile up 6-5. They would go down quietly after that.
Crookston was retired in order in the fifth on a popout and two strikeouts.

SIXTH INNING
Fertile was retired in order in the sixth on two groundouts, one of which was done on a very athletic play from Kelly at third, and a strikeout.
In the bottom of the inning, Crookston would blow things open. A single followed by back-to-back hit batsmen loaded the bases with no one out, and Davin Janek delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game at six. Then, an error at second base made it 7-6, followed by a two-run single from Nolan Cassavant to put Crookston up three. Aiden Delage then pinch hit and drove in the final run of the inning on a single, giving Crookston a 10-6 lead headed into the seventh.

SEVENTH INNING
Besides a one-out double from Strem in the seventh, Fertile went down without issue, giving the Pirates a 10-6 victory.

Crookston is now 1-2 on the season.