The Crookston Pirate Baseball team opened the season on Tuesday afternoon against the Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (DGF) Rebels at Jim Simon Field in Crookston. The Pirates faced good pitching and couldn’t get the bats going, and the Rebels slowly extended their lead all game going on to win 9-1.
FIRST INNING –
Gavyn Hlucny got the start for the Pirates and after getting the first two hitters to fly out, the Rebels would get a two out double and single to bring across a run and take a 1-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, Hlucny would be hit by a pitch with one out, and Carter Coauette would come in to run for him as a courtesy runner. Coauette would try and steal second base and would be thrown out, and the next Pirates hitter Blake Melsa would line out to end the inning.
SECOND INNING –
In the top of the second, Hlucny would strike out two hitters and get a 1-2-3 inning to bring Crookston back to the plate. The Pirates however would also strikeout twice in the bottom of the frame and go 1-2-3 themselves, giving DGF a 1-0 lead after two innings of play.
THIRD INNING –
The Rebels would break the game open in the third inning. Back-to-back hits to start the inning put runners on second and third base with nobody out. Hlucny would induce two weak flyballs with the next two hitters to keep the runners put and was just one out away from working out of the jam. However, a Landon Johnson double would drive both runners in, and then Peyton Aas would hit a single of his own to bring in the third run of the inning, and DGF led 4-0 heading into the bottom of the inning. The Rebels starting pitcher Grant Anderson would strikeout the side in the home half of the inning, and Crookston found themselves trailing 4-0 after three complete innings.
FOURTH INNING –
Jack Doda would relieve Gavyn Hlucny and pitch in the top of the fourth, but he quickly put himself in a jam with the first two hitters reaching on a walk and hit by pitch. Brody O’keefe would then knock a double to the fence and both runs would come in to score making it 6-0. Pirates coach Ben Parkin would take a mound visit, and whatever he said must’ve worked, as Doda settled down and got the next three hitters out to limit the damage.
George Widman and Gavyn Hlucny would get hit by pitches to start the bottom of the fourth and the Rebels would make a pitching change bringing in Landon Johnson to pitch. Blake Melsa would then tap a ball to third base that would be bobbled, allowing everyone to be safe and load the bases for Alex Longoria. Longoria would hit a rocket right at the second basemen, and the Rebels would double Melsa off of first base. With two outs that brought Ethan Boll to the plate, and he would strikeout, and the Pirates threat was over as DGF worked out of the jam and took a 6-0 lead into the fifth inning.
FIFTH INNING –
Like the fourth inning, the first two hitters for the Rebels would reach base, and both eventually came around to score on sacrifice flys. In the Pirates bottom half of the inning, the Rebels pitcher Landon Johnson would strikeout the side for the second time in the game, and through five innings of play it was 8-0 DGF.
SIXTH INNING –
Doda would pitch the sixth inning as well and be able to put up a scoreless frame with only one runner reaching base on an error. Crookston’s offense continued to struggle and would go down in order in the sixth inning as well, and through six innings the Pirates had not managed a hit.
SEVENTH INNING –
Sophomore Parker Kelly would pitch the seventh inning for Crookston, and a couple of two out hits brought in one more run for the Rebels, but Kelly limited the damage and stranded a couple of runners on base. That made it 9-0 as Crookston came to bat for the final time of the game.
Alex Longoria would lead off the inning with a double to right center field to break out the no hitter, and Ethan Boll would hit a base knock to right field the very next at bat to score Longoria as the Pirates avoided the shutout. Crookston would strand Boll on base, and DGF would retire the next three hitters to pick up a 9-1 win to start the season.
Crookston falls to 0-1 on the season and is scheduled to play in Fosston on Thursday. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton improves to 1-0 on the year with the win.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| DGF | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 2 |
| CROOKSTON | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Gavyn Hlucny- Crox (LP) | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Jack Doda- Crox | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Parker Kelly | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Grant Anderson- DGF (WP) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Landon Johnson- DGF | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
For Crookston
Ethan Boll 1 for 3, RBI
Alex Longoria 1 for 3, 2B, Run
Gavyn Hlucny 0 for 1, 2 hit by pitch
For DGF
Landon Johnson 3 for 3, 3RBI, 3 Runs, 2B
Brody O’Keefe 2 for 4, 2RBI, Run
Peyton Aas 2 for 3, RBI, Run, SB
