The Crookston Pirate Softball team played a doubleheader consisting of 48 combined runs, and were able to walk out with a split, dropping game 1 13-9 and winning game 2 16-9 against the Warroad Warriors at KROX Radio Stadium.
FIRST INNING-
Warroad looked to get things started early, and they did so with a leadoff walk. After two out, another walk put two on with two away, and an error by Madi Bruggeman scored Ayda Anderson at second, putting Warroad up 1-0. The inning ended quietly from there.
In the home half of the inning, the first three Pirates walked as Adley Larson couldn’t find her control. Then, a Kambelle Frieje base hit scored 1 to tie the game. After a strikeout, Leah Johannek walked to score the go-ahead run, and two batters later, Peyton Demerais continued to rake, driving in two with a double to make it 4-1 Pirates. Johannek would be out at the plate on a wild pitch to end the inning.
SECOND INNING-
Warroad answered right back in the second inning. Two straight singles immediately put them in business, and an RBI groundout cut the lead down to 4-2. Then, Larson at third was caught in a rundown on a pickoff throw, and was safe at the plate, making it 4-3. With the bases empty and two outs, a two-out single brought up Kate Johnson, who sent one dead-center for a two-run homer, putting Warroad up 5-4 at the end of the inning.
Crookston would be retired in order in the second, on two strikeouts and a groundout.
THIRD INNING –
In the 3rd, Warroad got two quick baserunners on an error and a walk. Then, with two outs and the bases loaded, Ayda Anderson walked, scoring the sixth run of the game for Warroad. The inning ended with a force play at the plate.
Crookston looked to get one back in the home half of the inning; after a Bruggeman base hit, Leia Parkin was hit by a pitch, and two consecutive wild pitches scored Bruggeman from second to cut the Warrior lead down to 6-5. Crookston would be retired in order from there to end the inning.
FOURTH INNING-
In the fourth, Warroad surged again, as after a one-out single, Gracie Palm ripped a triple to the right-center field gap to make it 7-5 Warriors. She would then score on an RBI single by Olivia Tossier, making it 8-5 at the end of the inning.
After two quick outs in the home half of the inning, the Pirates got two baserunners on an error and a hit by pitch. However, Bruggeman would then ground out to end the frame.
FIFTH INNING-
Warroad had yet another great offensive inning in the 5th. After a strikeout, Anderson singled, and after an error was committed, Johnson ripped an RBI double to make it 9-5. Then, after a walk, Palm came through again, hitting a two-run single to left field to make it 11-5 Warriors. They would get their final run of the inning on another RBI single by Tossier, making it 12-5 at the end of the inning.
After an error to start the inning, Crookston would be retired in order, on a groundout and two strikeouts.
SIXTH INNING-
The sixth inning would be the only one where Warroad did not score, as they were retired in order on a strikeout and two groundouts.
Crookston would get some early traffic on the basepaths in the sixth with a walk and a single, but were unable to get anything out of it, as Demerais was out trying to score on a wild pitch, and Bruggeman would groundout for the third time to end the inning.
SEVENTH INNING
Warroad looked to tag on one more insurance run in the 7th, and they turned to Tossier, who came through with her third RBI single of the game, putting the Warriors up 13-5. They would be retired in order after that hit.
Crookston had their best offensive inning in the 7th. Freije led off with a base hit, and would subsequently score on a wild pitch. After a couple of walks, Brylee Darco drove in those runners with a two-run double down the left field line, and she would then score on an RBI single by Emily Bowman. However, it was all too little too late, as the Pirates would have their final two batters retired to end the game, giving the Warriors a 13-9 victory in game 1.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Warroad | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 2 |
| Crookston | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 3 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Kambelle Freije – 3 for 4, RBI, 3 R
Peyton Demerais – 2 for 3, 2 RBI, BB
Emily Bowman – 2 for 5, RBI, R, 2 SB
Warroad-
Kate Johnson – 3 for 5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R
Gracie Palm – 3 for 5, 3B, 4 RBI, 2 R
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Emily Bowman – Crox | 7 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 6/0 | 5 |
| Adley Larson – Warroad | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8/2 | 9 |
Game 2
FIRST INNING-
Warroad got started on the very first pitch of Game 2 with a leadoff double. Then, after a flyout, Johnson continued her great day at the plate, singling home the run to put the Warriors up 1-0. After back-to-back walks by Ally Wagner loaded the bases, a grounder back to her was booted, and everyone was safe, putting Warroad up 2-0. A force play at home and a strikeout would then end the inning for the Warriors.
Crookston got a one-out single from Rilynn Aubol, but it looked like they were going to come up empty. That is, until Freije delivered an RBI triple, cutting the Warroad lead to 2-1 as the game shifted into the second inning.
SECOND INNING-
After a leadoff single, Wagner was able to get a force play to second. Then, she walked a batter on four pitches and went down 3-0 on the next batter, and she seemed like she had lost all control. However, she bounced back to get the strikeout on that at-bat, then proceeded to strike out Olivia Tossier to end the inning with no harm done.
Brylee Darco led off the bottom of the second with a base hit, but Shyuh Burnette lined sharply into a double play to pick off the runner. Demerais then popped out to end the frame.
THIRD INNING –
Warroad was able to capitalize on Pirate miscues in the 3rd. After a one-out walk, back-to-back errors gave Warroad a free run, putting them up 3-1. Then, with the bases loaded, Wagner walked in a run, making it 4-1 Warroad. A groundout then ended the inning with just two runs across the plate.
In the home half of the inning, Crookston looked to claw back. A walk, double and another walk loaded the bases for Bruggeman. First, a wild pitch scored the first runner, another wild pitch saw an out at the plate on the second runner, and then Bruggeman doubled home the third runner, giving the Pirates two runs and cutting the lead down to 4-3. Another walk would put runners on 1st and second, but a groundout and a caught stealing ended the inning for the Pirates, keeping them down 1.
FOURTH INNING-
Warroad couldn’t get anything going besides a two-out walk, and were set down quietly in the 4th.
For Crookston, the bats exploded in the 4th. Two walks and an error quickly loaded the bases for Bowman, who drove in two with a single to put the Pirates up 5-4. Then, with Aubol up, back-to-back wild pitches plated two runs, and the Pirates took a 7-4 lead. After a groundout put Aubol at second, Freije’s second triple of the game put the Pirates up 8-4, and Parkin would single her in for the 6th run of the inning and the 9th run of the game, ending the inning with Crookston up 9-4.
FIFTH INNING-
Warroad looked to crawl back in the 5th, and they started to do so immediately. A walk, fielder’s choice and hit by pitch loaded the bases, and another walk brought in a run, cutting the lead to 9-5. Then, a two-run single cut the lead down to 9-7, all of which coming with nobody out. After a lengthy mound visit, Wagner buckled down, and got a flyout, strikeout and groundout to end the inning.
After allowing three runs in the top of the 5th, Crookston looked to get three back in the bottom of the 5th. After a walk and a hit by pitch, Rilynn Aubol tripled, bringing in both runners and putting Crookston up 11-7. After a strikeout, Crookston got the thrid run back, as Freije singled to make it 12-7 Pirates.
SIXTH INNING–
Warroad would not give in in the sixth, getting more opportunities off of walks by Wagner. With the bases loaded, a groundball to the pitcher was thrown home, and Shyiuh Burnette misplayed it, allowing two runs to score, cutting the lead down to 12-9. After another walk, Wagner then got two outs to end the rally.
In the home half of the inning, Crookston looked to put the nail in the coffin. Peyton Demerais would be the first to chip in, as her RBI double made it 13-9. Then, with the bases loaded, Madi Bruggeman cleared them all with a three-run triple, the fourth triple of the game for the Pirates, putting them up 16-9 headed into the seventh inning.
SEVENTH INNING-
Warroad seemed to finally run out of gas in the 7th inning, as after an error and a one-out single, Ally Wagner struck out the final two batters, giving Crookston a 16-9 win, and a split of the doubleheader.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Warroad | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 2 |
| Crookston | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 3 | X | 16 | 13 | 6 |
OFFENSIVE LEADERS –
Crookston –
Kambelle Freije – 3 for 4, 2 3B, 3 RBI, BB
Emily Bowman – 3 for 5, 3B, 2 RBI, 3 R
Madi Bruggeman – 2 for 5, 3B, 4 RBI
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB/HBP | K |
| Ally Wagner – Crox | 7 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 13/0 | 10 |
| Kate Johnson – Warroad | 4 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 8/1 | 0 |
| Adley Larson – Warroad | 2 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 2/1 | 2 |
