PIRATE BASEBALL PLAYS A SOLID ALL-AROUND GAME IN A WIN OVER BGMR

The Crookston Pirate Baseball team scored two runs in the sixth inning on a Gunner Gunderson single and the insurance runs proved to be big ones as they beat the Badger-Greenbush-Middle River Gators 5-3 in a game played in Greenbush.

Crookston started the game on a positive note when they jumped on Gator pitcher, Dominic Vacura (the Class A Wrestling 220 pound state champion) for two runs behind four hits for a quick 2-0 lead. Brady Butt got the inning going with a one-out single and Leyton Salentine reached on a fielders choice before Gavin Salem singled. Brady Butt scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead and Jade Selzler knocked in another run with a sacrifice fly and Crookston led 2-0. “It was a nice way to start off the game batting eight guys in the inning,” said Pirate Coach Bakken. “We had some good cuts and nice hits and it was a great way to start the game.”
Crookston Pitcher, Brady Butt, didn’t give up a hit in the first three innings and the first hit the Gators recorded was the first batter of the fourth inning when Kamrin Weets singled and later came into score a run and Crookston’s lead was cut one.
The Pirates bounced back with a run in the fifth inning when Joe Doda walked, and advanced to second base on a fielder’s choice. Doda advanced to third base on another fielders choice before he scored on a wild pitch to give Crookston a 3-1 lead. Crookston kept the offense going in the top of the sixth inning when Brooks Butt started with a one-out single, Walker Winjum added a bunt for a hit before Ashton Larson walked to load the bases. Gunner Gunderson came up with bases loaded and one out and delivered with a single to score two runs to give the Pirates a 5-1 lead. “Walker had a beautiful push bunt to get on and Brooks had another nice hit,” said Coach Bakken. “Gunner had a big hit and it was fun to him get the hit, especially since he wasn’t in the batting order a couple of games ago.”
The Gators had a threat in the bottom of the fifth inning with bases loaded and one out, but Brady Butt retired the next two batters and the scored remained 5-1. “My dad has always taught me, to pound the strike zone and you can’t give up on a batter, you can always come through,” said Brady Butt in the post-game show on KROX. “I was telling the guys I wasn’t nervous, but deep down I was. I knew I had to keep pounding the zone because I knew I could do it because I had a great defense behind me.”
BGMR answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning with a leadoff triple and a two-out double to score a run. Another run scored on a wild pitch and Crookston’s lead was 5-3.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Crookston’s Leyton Salentine closed the door on any Gator comeback retiring all three batters, including two strikeouts to give the Pirates a 5-3 victory. “We are playing better baseball now that we are getting a normal schedule and our pitchers have been doing a good job. It was a good job by everyone,” said Coach Bakken. “The guys are a tight group and having fun and they played well and beat a very good team today.”
Crookston improves to 3-6 on the year and will travel to Fergus Falls on Friday, a game you can hear on KROX Radio. BGMR drops to 9-8 on the year.

For Crookston
Brooks Butt   2-3, run
Walker Winjum  2-3, run
Gunnar Gunderson  1-3, 2 rbi

For B-G-MR
Kaman Weets  2-4, run
Garret Undeberg  2-3, double, run, rbi
Avery Augustson  1-2, triple, run