ROSEAU’S HOT BATS TOO MUCH FOR CROOKSTON AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL

The Crookston American Legion Post 20 baseball team played in the first round of the District 9 Division II North Sub-District Tournament on Saturday afternoon. Crookston received the #5 seed and played the #4 seed Roseau who only played four Division games and fell to the #4 seed even though they had a great High School Season that included a runner-up finish at the Class AA State Tournament. Roseau showed how good they are handling Crookston 11-1.

FIRST INNING

The game started with a Jacob Miller double to center field and a sac bunt from Cade Coautte, and it looked like Crookston was going to jump to an early lead. Unfortunately for Crookston, Aaron Wensloff settled in. Wensloff struck out Alex Longoria, and then a fly-ball to right field off the bat of Ashton Larson ended the inning with Crookston failing to capitalize. Roseau would come back in the bottom of the inning, making solid contact off Spencer Ness, with four hits with two outs to score four runs. The inning was capped with a double off Gavin Gunderson’s bat, which a diving Jacob Miller in centerfield couldn’t come up the play. Gunderson showed his speed circling the bases and scoring the fourth and final run of the inning before Ness would get a strikeout from Alex Wensloff to stop the bleeding. 

SECOND INNING

The Crookston batters could not keep up with Aaron Wensloff’s fastball in the second inning. Wensloff would strike out the side with three swinging strikeouts. Spencer Ness would come back with a one-two-three inning of his own. And the second inning ends still at 4-0 Roseau.

THIRD INNING

Blake Melsa would lead off the Crookston half of the inning with a single, but Aaron Wensloff returned to strike out the next three batters to end the inning. Crookston’s pitching by committee approach came into effect in the third inning, with Parker Kelly coming in to face Roseau. Kelly would labor on the mound, with Roseau loading the bases after two singles and a hit batter. Gavin Hegeland reaches on a fielder’s choice that scores Noah Urness. A throw down to third base on a Gavin Gunderson stealing attempt sails wide and allows Gunderson to score. Alex Wensloff hits a two-RBI single, and Roseau takes an 8-0 lead. Kelly strikes out Brady Demars looking to end the inning.

FOURTH INNING

Crookston’s struggles at the plate continued in the fourth inning, with Ashton Larson tallying the lone hit with a base hit to center field. Parker Kelly would retire the first batter of the inning before being relieved by Justin Lindgren. Lindgren would get the second out of the inning before Aaron Wensloff’s single would turn into another run. The courtesy runner Eli Wensloff would steal second base and score on Cooper Flaig’s second game hit after it bobbled in left field. Lindgren would get Hegelend to ground out to end the inning.

FIFTH INNING

Crookston would finally get on the scoreboard with Blake Melsa getting his second hit of the game with a double and scoring on a Carter Coautte single. Crookston would threaten with runners on second and third after a double steal after Jacob Miller reached on an error. But Aaron Wensloff would shut the door with a strikeout and foul out to end the inning. Roseau’s Alex Wensloff would get on with one out single. Two passed balls, another single, and a Sac fly from Brady Demars would make the score 10-1. Lindgren would end the inning by getting Isaac Wensloff to fly out to left to end the inning.

 SIXTH INNING

Crookston would go down one-two-three yet again to end the top of the sixth quickly, allowing Roseau to score one run to end the game. Noah Urness continued his great day at the plate with his third hit of the game. Urness would advance to second after Aaron Wensloff was hit by a pitch and would steal third to make the winning run ninety feet away. Cooper Flaig would knock a base hit to right-center field to drive in Urness to end the game 11-1.

Crookston falls to 6-12 on the season and will play in an elimination game tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. in Argyle against Stephen-Argyle. If Crookston wins, they guarantee themselves a spot in the District 9 Division II District Tournament next weekend; if they lose, their season is over. We will have the game on KROX starting with the RiverView Health pregame show at 8:30 a.m.

For Crookston –
Blake Melsa – 2 for 2, 2B
Jacob Miller – 1 for 2, 2B, RBI
Carter Coautte – 1 for 2

For Roseau –
Cooper Flaig – 3 for 3, 2 1B, 2B, 2 RBI, HBP
Noah Urness – 3 for 4, 3 1B
Alex Wensloff – 2 for 3, 2 1B, 2 RBI, HBP