The Crookston Reds beat Warroad with a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning in the first round and lost to the defending champion Bemidji Blue Ox 9-4 in the second round of the Region 10C Amateur Baseball tournament held in Crookston.
Second Round vs Bemidji-
The Reds struck first in the top of the first inning and Noah Zimmerman got things started with a five-pitch walk. Dave Grabowski had a two-out single to score the first run of the game. Aaron Hollcraft followed with a single to load the bases and Cody Wardner added another single to score Grabowski and the Reds took a 2-0 lead.
Crookston added another run in the top of the second inning with a two-out rally. Will Zimmerman singled, stole second base and advanced to third base on a throwing error and on the next pitch he stole home to give Crookston a 3-0 lead. Bemidji scored a run in the bottom of the second inning to get within a 3-1 deficit. Neither team scored for three innings and Bemidji broke the scoreless inning streak in the bottom of the sixth inning with two runs to tie the game at three.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Bemidji led off with back-to-back singles and the runners advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt. Bemidji scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch for a 4-3 lead. Red’s pitcher, Sean Minder, retired the next two batters, but Bemidji took a 4-3 lead into the eighth inning.
Crookston tried to mount a comeback in the top of the ninth inning when Will Zimmerman reached on an error and later came into score to bring the Reds within a 9-4 deficit, but that is all they would get in a 9-4 loss to Bemidji.
Crookston drops to 20-17 on the year and will play Dilworth at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday in a loser-out game.
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Crookston | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 3 |
| Bemidji | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | – | 9 | 14 | 1 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Sean Minder – Crox | 7.2 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 6 |
| Jackson Seibel – Crox | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
For Crookston
Cody Wardner – 3-4, run
Aaron Hollcraft – 2-4
Will Zimmerman – 2-5, 2 runs
Matt Morin – 2-5
Dave Grabowski – 2-5, run, rbi
First Round vs Warroad-
Warroad scored two runs in the top of the first inning with a single, three walks and a Crookston error. The Reds answered in a big way in the bottom of the first inning when the first five batters reached and Aaron Hollcraft had a two rbi double and Mikey Hajostek had a two rbi single and Crookston took a 4-2 lead. Warroad added another run in the fourth inning to get within a run, but Crookston answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on a rbi double by Dave Grabowksi.
Warroad scored another run in the top of the fifth inning, but Crookston answered when Blake Kawlewski singled and scored on a Hajostek single for a 6-4 lead. Warroad scored another run in the sixth inning and Crookston responded with three runs. Will Zimmerman started the inning with a solo home run and Noah Zimmerman was hit by a pitch, Lars Brevik walked and a run scored on a Hollcraft single and the third run of the inning scored on a Kawlewski fielder’s choice for a 9-5 lead.
Warroad answered with three runs in the seventh inning and one run in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game at 9-9. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Crookston’s Hollcraft walked, Alex LaFrance was hit by a pitch and Matt Morin was intentionally walked to load the bases and Cody Magsam followed with a bases-loaded walk and the Reds won the game 10-9 to advance in the tournament.
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Warroad | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 1 |
| Crookston | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 3 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Cody Wardner – Crox | 6.1 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 4 |
| Noah Zimmerman – Crox | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Blake Kawlewski – Crox | 2.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
For Crookston
Noah Zimmerman – 2-3, 3 runs
Mikey Hajostek – 2-4, 3 rbi
Aaron Hollcraft – 2-4, 3 rbi, 2 runs
