The Crookston Pirate Baseball team beat the Warroad Warriors 3-1 in a great high school baseball game in game one. In game two, Crookston scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, including a two run scoring single by Lucas Perala to give the Pirates a 6-5 victory in a Section 8AA matchup at Jim Karn Field in Crookston.Â
GAME ONE
FIRST INNING
Kasen Pietruszewski reached on an error with one out. The next two batters were retired.
The first two Crookston batters were retired before Greyson Ecker had a bloop single over the firstbaseman’s head. The next batter lined out to second base.
SECOND INNING
Warroad was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with two ground outs and a strikeout.
Crookston’s Blake Melsa led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. After an out, Jay Reese single and the Pirates had runners at the corners. The next batter struck out before Nolan Cassavant walked to load the bases. The next batter hit into a fielder’s choice.
THIRD INNING
Warroad’s first two batters were retired before Ryan Chamernick and Pietruszewski singled, but the next batter struck out.
Crookston started the bottom of the inning with a Matt Contreras single, an Ecker walk and a Gavyn Hlucny single. On Hlucny’s single Contreras scored as he snuck his hand under the tag at home for a 1-0 lead. Blake Melsa walked and another run scored on a wild pitch and Crookston lead 2-0.
FOURTH INNING
Warroad was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with a pair of groundouts a and a strikeout. Crookston was also retired in 1-2-3 fashion with two strikeouts and a pop out.
FIFTH INNING
Warroad was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with two fly outs and a strikeout. Crookston was also retired in 1-2-3 fashion with two fly outs and a ground out and led 2-0 after five innings.
SIXTH INNING
Warroad’s Chamernick led off the inning with a walk. Pietruszewski reached on an error for the second time in the game and Liam Grover walked to load the bases. The next batter popped out to first base. Shane Stricker flew out to left field to score a run. The next batter hit a fly to center field and Crookston’s Lucas Miller made a sliding catch for the third out of the inning.
Crookston responded in the bottom of the inning when Reese walked and Carter Fee doubled down the left field line to score a run for a 3-1 lead. The next two batters were retired and Crookston took a 3-1 lead into the seventh inning.
SEVENTH INNING
The first two Warroad batters were retired before Sam Hard reached on a walk. Shortly after, Crookston’s Hlucny picked him off for the third out of the inning and Crookston won the game 3-1.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Warroad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Gavyn Hlucny – Crox (WP) | 7.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| Brock Thompson – War (LP) | 6.0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
Crookston leaders
Greyson Ecker – 1 for 2, run, walk
Jay Reese – 1 for 2, run, walk
Matt Contreras – 1 for 3, run
Gavyn Hlucny – 1 for 3, rbi
Carter Fee – 1 for 3, rbi
Warroad leaders
Ryan Chamernick – 1 for 2, run, walk
Kasen Pietruszewski – 1 for 3
GAME TWO
FIRST INNING
Warroad’s Chamernick led off the game with a walk before he was caught stealing for the first out of the inning. The next batter struck outbefore Liam Grover singled. The next batter struck out.
Crookston started the scoring in the bottom of the inning when Matt Contreras tripled and scored on an error for a 1-0 lead.
SECOND INNING
Warroad was retired in 1-2-3 fashion with a strikeout and two fly outs.
Crookston added another run in the bottom of the inning when Lucas Perala was hit by a pitch and Jay Reese doubled. Perala scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.
THIRD INNING
Zach Rose and Chamernick walked with one out before the next two batters flew out.
Crookston’s Contreras singled down the left field line with one out. After a pop out, Hlucny singled to center field and runners. Hlucny advanced to second base on an error and the next batter flew out to retire the Pirates.
FOURTH INNING
The first two Warroad batters flew out before Thompson singled. Hudson Sprouls and Kannon Hoffman walked to load the bases. A run came into score on a balk and Warroad trailed 2-1.
Crookston was retired in 1-2-3 fashion.
FIFTH INNING
Warroad’s Pietruszewski singled with one out and Grover reached on an error. Jacob McFarlane doubled to score a run. Shanx Stricker singled to score a run for a 3-2 lead. Thompson walked to score a run and Sprouls flew out to center field and another run scored for a 5-2 lead.
The first two Crookston players struck out before Contreras and Ecker singled before the next batter flew out.
SIXTH INNING
The first Warroad batter flew out before Chamernick, Grover, and McFarlane singled to load the bases. The next batter hit a ground ball to the pitcher and he got the out at home and threw to first base to try to get the double play. The baserunner ran inside the basepath and was called for interference.
The first two Crookston batters were retired before Jay Reese singled. The next batter flew out.
SEVENTH INNING
Warroad’s Stricker led off the inning with a walk before the next three batters were retired.
Crookston needed three runs to tie the game and four to complete the sweep. Nolan Cassavant singled, Lucas Miller walked and Contreras doubled to score a run. Ecker flew out to center field to score a run to get within a 5-4 deficit. Hlucny was hit by a pitch before the next batters struck out. With runners at second and third base, Perala singled down the right field line and two runs scored for a 6-5 victory. The Pirate team mobbed Perala after the game winning hit to complete a big Section 8AA doubleheader sweep.
Crookston improves to 7-9 on the year and will wrap up the regul season on Thursday when they host the West Marshall Fusion. Warroad drops to 8-10 on the year.
CLICK HERE to listen to Coach Ben Parkin’s comments.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Warroad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 2 |
| Crookston | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 1 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Matt Contreras – Crox | 5.0 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Greyson Ecker – Crox (WP) | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Liam Grover – War (LP) | 6.1 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 10 |
| Brady Fast – War | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Crookston leaders
Matt Contreras – 4 for 4, 2 runs, rbi
Jay Reese – 2 for 3
Lucas Perala – 1 for 3, 2 rbi, run
Gavyn Hlucny – 1 for 3, run
Noan Cassavant – 1 for 3 run
Greyson Ecker – 1 for 4, 2 rbi
Warroad leaders
Kasen Pietruszewski – 2 for 4, run
Liam Glover – 2 for 4, run
Jacob McFarlane – 1 for 4, rbi, run
Shanx Stricker – 1 for 3, rbi, run, walk
Brock Thompson – 1 for 3, run, walk
