The Crookston Reds committed eight errors in a sloppy 7-5 loss to the Pilot Mound Mounds in the Jim Karn Memorial Tournament.
Pilot Mound opened the game with four runs in the first. Vince Maxwell led off with a single, and Ty McConnell reached on an error. Brett Pinkerton followed with a single to load the bases before Dylan Stone picked up a two-RBI single to make it 2-0. An error brought home another run and Clint Maxwell singled home another run to make it 4-0. Crookston got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Noah Zimmerman was hit by a pitch and stole second. He’d come home to score on an error by the third baseman to make it 4-1.
Pilot Mound extended the lead in the third inning when they loaded the bases on three Crookston erros. Vince Maxwell followed with a two-RBI single to make it 6-1. The Reds closed to within three in the bottom of the inning when Owen Ellefson reached on an error and Zimmerman singled to center. Zimmerman’s hit got past the centerfielder allowing Ellefson to score from first and Zimmerman to move up to third. Riley Thompson would reach on an error scoring Zimmerman to make it 6-3. “We had eight errors again,” said co-manager Rob Silvers. “We keep playing poorly without any intensity and digging holes we can’t get out of or playing lacksdaisically once we have a lead and letting teams back in.”
Pinkerton led off the fourth with a double, tagged and moved to third on a fly out to deep center and scored on an RBI groundout by Robi LeWarne to make it 7-3.
Ellefson singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth for the Reds and moved to third when Zimmerman reached on an error to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Thompson would reach on an error scoring Ellefson and allowing Zimmerman to move the the third. A sacrifice fly by Matt Morin would bring home Zimmerman to make it 7-5. “We have some issues to work out,” said Silvers. “It’s gut check time.”
The Reds were unable to muster any further rally in their final two at bats and fall to 5-6. They will play their final game of the Jim Karn Memorial Tournament Sunday following the conclusion of the suspended game between Bonivital and Park Rapids at 9:00 a.m.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
| Pilot Mound | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 9 |
| Crookston | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Matt Morin – Crox | 7.0 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Toots Friesen – Pilot Mound | 7.0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
For Crookston
Owen Ellefson 2-4, 2 R
Noah Zimmerman 1-3, 3 R
For Bonivital
Brett Pinkerton 2-4, 2B, 2 R
Vince Maxwell 2-4, 2 RBI
