CROOKSTON SOFTBALL SWEPT BY WARROAD

The Crookston Pirate Girl’s Softball team took an early 5-0 lead through three innings in the first game, but the Warroad Warriors dominated the rest of the doubleheader on their way to a 16-6 and 25-2 victories in a Section 8AA matchup at the Donnie Lauf/American Legion Softball Field in Crookston. 

GAME ONE –
In the first inning, Warroad had a runner on third base after a walk, stolen base, and wild pitch with one out.  Crookston’s Jenna Coauette retired the next two Warroad batters with a pop-out and strikeout to get out of the jam without giving up a run.
Crookston’s Emma Boll led off the bottom of the first inning with an infield single back to the pitcher.  Kenze Epema grounded out to second base, but Boll advanced to third base on the play.  After a Pirate strikeout, Boll scored on a passed ball to give Crookston a 1-0 lead.

Warroad had a threat in the top of the second inning with back-to-back hits to put runners at second and third with nobody out.  Crookston’s pitcher, Jenna Coauette, struck out the next batter.  Coauette struggled to find the strike zone and the first three pitches to the next batter missed the strike zone.  But, Coauette recovered nicely with three strikes for her second strike out of the inning.  Coauette completed the inning with her third strikeout to get out of a jam.
Crookston had a great start to the bottom of the second inning when Emily Bowman reached on an error and advanced to third base on a wild pitch.  A few pitches later, Bowman scored on another wild pitch to take a 2-0 lead.  On the same wild pitch, Julia Lallier reached on a walk and came around to score after three straight wild pitches for a 3-0 lead.   

Warroad was held scoreless in the top of the third and Crookston answered with two more runs in the bottom of the inning.  After a lineout, Crookston’s Cymbaluk singled up the middle.  Coauette walked and the runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch.  Emily Bowman hit a ground ball to the second baseman and she elected to throw home and the Pirates beat the tag for a 4-0 lead.  Lallier grounded out to first base, but another run scored on the play and Crookston led 5-0.

Warroad got things going in the top of the fourth inning with a hard-hit ball off the glove of Pirate pitcher Jenna Coauette for a single.  The runner advanced on a wild pitch. The next batter flew out to left field and the runner had to stay at second.  After a wild pitch, the runner advanced to third.  The next batter walked and stole second base before a line drive to centerfield and Bowman made a diving catch to get an out, but a runner scored on the play.  The next Warroad batter reached on an error and a run scored and Warroad trailed 5-2.
Crookston was retired quickly in the bottom of the inning and still led 5-2.

Warroad took advantage of some nice hits and a few Crookston errors to score three runs to tie the game 5-5.  With a runner at first base, Warroad had another hit and runners at first and second base with nobody out.  The next Warrior batter laid down a beautiful bunt to load the bases.  The next batter hit a line drive to left field to score two more runs to take a 7-5 lead.  Coauette struck out the next batter to record the first out of the inning.   With runners at second and third base, the next batter walked and a run scored on a wild pitch for a 8-5 lead.  The next batter walked to load the bases and another run scored on a wild pitch.  After a walk to reload the bases, the next batter walked to score another run and Warroad led 10-5.  Warroad’s CJ Lanctot laced a line drive to right field to score two more runs.  The next batter hit a hard-hit ball up the middle to score two more runs for a 14-5 lead.  The next batter was retired as the Pirate’s Quinn Siegle caught a fly out for the second out of the game.   Warroad had runners at second and third base with two outs and got an infield single and two more runs scored on the play for a 16-5 lead.  

For CROOKSTON
Amber Cymbaluk – 1-2, run, walk
Emily Tate – 1-2
Julia Lallier – 1-2, run, walk
Emma Boll – 1-3, run, stolen base

GAME TWO – 
Warroad exploded for six runs on three hits while taking advantage of three walks and two hit batters to take a 6-0 lead. 
In the bottom of the first inning, Emma Boll led off when she reached on an error and stole second base and advanced to third on an error and scored on a stolen base.  Epema reached on a walk and came into score and the Pirates trailed 6-2 after one inning.

Warroad added another run in the top of the second inning with a walk and a double for a 7-0 lead.  
Warroad put the game out of reach with a 15 run third inning while taking advantage of 12 walks and three hits for a 22-0 lead. 

Warroad added three runs in the fourth inning with a leadoff single and after an out, they added five hits in their next six batters to score the runs and had a 25-2 lead going into the bottom of the inning.
Crookston got a threat going in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back walks, but Warroad was able to get a pop out and a fielder’s choice to win the game 25-2 in four innings.

Crookston drops to 0-5 on the year and will travel to Thief River Falls on Thursday.  Warroad improves to 4-1 on the year.

For CROOKSTON
Kenze Epema – 1-2, run, walk
Amber Cymbaluk – 1-2