The Crookston Pirate Softball team hammered out 19 hits and scored 25 runs to beat the West Marshall Fusion (Warren-Alvarado-Oslo/Stephen-Argyle) 25-5 in five innings to win their first game of the season.
FIRST INNING
The first Crookston batter popped out before Maddie Bruggeman got things going with an infield single. Rilynn Aubol reached on a bunt single, and the ball was thrown away, allowing Bruggeman to score for a 1-0 lead. Reese Swanson hammered a ground ball to third and reached on an error that allowed Aubol to score for a 2-0 lead. Kambelle Freije, Cassie Solheim, and Carly Knutson all walked or were hit by a pitch, and a run scored for a 3-0 lead.
West Marshall’s Jocie Groven led off the bottom of the inning with a single and advanced to second base on an error. Groven moved over to third on a ground out before scoring on a Taylor Wentz single to get within a 3-1 deficit.
SECOND INNING
Crookston scored another run in the top of the second inning when Emily Bowman led off with a walk before stealing second base. A groundout allowed Bowman to advance to third base before she scored on a wild pitch for a 4-1 lead.
West Marshall’s first two batters were retired before Macey Boe singled to right field. The next batter was retired, and Crookston led 4-1.
THIRD INNING
Crookston came out swinging in the third inning and hit the ball harder than they have all season. Solheim laid down a perfect bunt for a base hit. Carley Knutson singled to score a run. Dani Kresl doubled to score a run before Bowman doubled to score another run for a 7-1 lead. Bruggeman followed with a deep fly to left field for a double. Aubol, Swanson, Brylee Darco, and Solheim all singled to score three more runs for a 10-1 lead.
West Marshall’s Chandler Stroble singled, and after an out, Olivia Wingle reached on an error, but the next batter was retired, and the threat was over.
FOURTH INNING
Crookston continued to hit the ball hard in the fourth inning. Kresl led the inning off with a walk. Bowman singled, Bruggeman singled to score a run, and Aubol singled to score two. After an out, Kambelle Freije blasted a line drive off the base of the centerfield fence for a double that scored a run for a 14-1 lead.
West Marshall’s Rachel Wimpfheimer singled and scored on a Boe triple. Boe scored on a Jocie Groven single to get within a 14-3 deficit.
FIFTH INNING –
A pitch hit the first two Crookston batters (Knutson and Kresl). Bowman singled to score a run. Kresl and Bowman scored on errors. Bruggeman reached on an error, Aubol walked, and Freije singled to score a run. Darco reached on an error that allowed two runs to score. Pitches hit Solheim and Knutson before Kresl singled to score a run. A couple of runs were scored on errors, and a pitch hit Bowman. Bruggeman blasted a shot up the middle into centerfield to score two more runs for a 25-3 lead.
West Marshall needed to score 13 runs to keep the game going. The first two Fusion batters grounded out before Wimpfheimer singled, Hannah Stroble walked, and Boe tripled for the second straight at-bat to score two runs, and the Fusion trailed 25-5. The next batter grounded out, and Crookston won 25-5.
Crookston improves to 1-9 on the year and will host East Polk (Fosston/Win-E-Mac) at 1:00 p.m. and then East Grand Forks at 6:00 p.m.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Crookston | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 11 | – | – | 25 | 19 | 3 |
| W. Marshal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | – | – | 5 | 9 | 7 |
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
| Dani Kresl – Crox | 5.0 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Haley Olson – WM | 5.0 | 19 | 25 | 13 | 11 | 7 |
CROOKSTON Leaders-
Maddi Bruggeman – 4 for 6, 5 runs, 2 rbi,
Emily Bowman – 3 for 4, 5 runs, 2 rbi, walk, hit by pitch
Rilynn Aubol – 3 for 5, 3 runs, 2 rbi, walk
Cassie Solheim – 2 for 3, 2 runs, 2 hit by pitch, rbi
Dani Kresl – 2 for 3, 4 runs, 2 rbi, walk, hit by pitch
Kambelle Freije – 2 for 3, 2 rbi, 2 walks, run
West Marshall leaders-
Macey Boe – 3 for 3, 3 rbi, 2 triples, run
Jocie Groven – 2 for 3, rbi, run
