CROOKSTON PIRATE BASEBALL SWEPT BY WARROAD

The Crookston Pirates Baseball team lost to the Warroad Warriors 15-0 in game one and 8-1 in game two in a doubleheader played at Warroad’s Tony Stukel Field.

GAME ONE –
Crookston’s first two batters struck out before Brooks Butt singled to right field for the first Pirate hit of the game. The next batter was retired and Crookston was held scoreless in the top of the first inning.
In the bottom of the inning, control problems hurt the Pirates as the first three Warroad batters walked to load the bases. Ty Culleton singled to score a run for a 1-0 lead. The second run scored on an error and a third run scored on a double steal for a 3-0 lead. The next two Warroad batters walked and Matt Hard singled to score a run. Another run scored on a wild pitch for a 5-0 lead. After two straight outs, Evan Grover walked to score another run. Blake Norris walked to score a run and Culleton singled to score two runs to give Warroad a 9-0 lead. “Slow starts have hurt us this year,” said Pirate Coach Mitch Bakken. “It obviously wasn’t the start we were looking for so we need to look at our warm-ups or change our pregame or whatever.”

Both teams were retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the second inning.

In the third inning, Crookston’s George Widman had a one-out single and advanced to second on a ground out, but he was stranded at second after a fly out to right field.
Warroad’s Nelson Cole got things going in the bottom of the inning with a lead-off single. After an out, Grover singled and Norris reached on an error that allowed a run to score. Culleton reached on a fielder’s choice and Daniel Rose singled to score a run for an 11-0 lead. Luke Butler singled to score a run and the Pirates committed an error trying to field the ball and another run scored. Warroad scored their 14th run of the game on an error and Cole singled for the second time in the inning to score a run for a 15-0 lead. “I am not sure what we need to do to get more energy and enthusiasm out of the guys,” said Coach Bakken. “I think the most energy we had was from our managers and that isn’t a good thing.”

In the top of the fourth inning, Brooks Butt reached on an error and Ethan Boll singled and the Pirates had a threat going with nobody out, but the next three batters were retired.
Warroad’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the fourth inning reached on a walk, but the next three batters were retired by great Pirate defensive plays and they took a 15-0 lead into the fifth inning. “We make four errors in the third inning and then we bounce back we make three defensive gems,” said Coach Bakken. “We are either way up, or we are either way down and it seems like there is no in-between.”

Crookston needed at least six runs going in the fifth inning to stay alive. Jacob Hesby started with a walk, but the next three batters were retired and Warroad held on for the 15-0 victory. “It was a disappointing start to the day,” said Coach Bakken. “I want to tip my hat to Jack Doda who came out and pitched well for us and the way he looked today and he might be our number one pitcher. He pitched outstanding and threw strikes.”

Game 1	1	2	3	4	5	R	H	E
CROOKSTON	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	5
Warroad	9	0	6	0	–	15	10	1

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K
Carter Bruggeman-Crox	0.2	2	9	8	8	1
Jack Doda – Crox	3.1	6	6	1	2	4
Evan Grover – Warroad	4.0	3	0	0	0	7
Jace Thompson – Warroad	1.0	0	0	0	1	2

For CROOKSTON
Brooks Butt – 1 for 2
Ethan Boll – 1 for 2
George Widman – 1 for 1

For Warroad
Ty Culleton – 2 for 4, 3 rbi, 2 runs
Nelson Cole – 2 for 3, run, rbi
Evan Grover – 1 for 1, 3 walks, 3 runs, rbi

GAME TWO
In the top of the first inning, Crookston’s Gunner Gunderson was hit by a pitch, but the next three batters were retired.
Warroad’s leadoff batter, Foster reached on an error and Grover walked, but Crookston’s Jacob Miller struck out the next three batters to get out of the jam.

In the second inning, Crookston’s Cade DeLeon reached on an error but was retired on a ground out. The next batter struck out and Trinkle walked and runners were at first and second with two out. The next Pirate batter struck out.
Warroad got things going in the bottom of the second inning when Sky Solig singled up the middle and after a strikeout, Tucker Sproals singled to score the first run of the game. Sproals later scored on an error for a 2-0 lead. Nelson Cole followed with a bunt single and came into score on a Grover single for a 3-0 Warroad lead. “We gave them extra outs because of some errors and that hurt us,” said Coach Bakken.

Crookston finally got on the board in the top of the third inning. Gunner Gunderson reached when he was hit by a pitch and Jacob Miller blasted a line drive to the left-center field fence and hit it on the fly. “That was one of the best balls hit all day,” said Coach Bakken. “He just missed a home run, but that was a nice swing.” Gunderson scored and Miller had a stand-up rbi double to get Crookston within a 3-1 deficit.
Warroad’s leadoff batter reached on a walk in the bottom of the third, but he was picked off for the first out. Solig followed with a single and Matt Hard walked. The next batter flew out to right field and the runners were going on contact and the Pirates Jacob Hesby quickly got the ball in and they turned a double play to get out of the inning.

In the fourth inning, Crookston had a runner on first after getting hit by a pitch with one out. After a strikeout, the Pirate runner was picked off at first base for the third out of the inning.

In the fifth inning, Crookston had a threat going again after a strikeout, Miller, and butt walked. The next batter flew out to leftfield before Cade DeLeon struck out and reached on a passed ball to load the bases. The next batter struck out and the threat was over.
Warroad scored a run in the bottom of the fifth inning with a pair of singles for a 6-1 lead.

Warroad added two more runs on two hits in the bottom of the sixth inning for an 8-1 lead and Crookston wasn’t able to score in the top of the seventh inning as Warroad held on for the 8-1 victory to complete the sweep of the doubleheader. “When we got here it seemed like they were talking about everything other than baseball and we struggled today. I thought Jack Doda, Jacob Miller, and George Widman pitched well and that was a bright spot.”

Crookston drops to 5-7 on the year and will host Badger/Greenbush-Middle River on Thursday. Warroad improves to 10-1 on the year.