Crane throws one-hitter in win for Carlton

Carlton pitcher Kaden Crane threw a one-hitter Tuesday afternoon as the Bulldogs defeated Polar League rival McGregor 11-1 at Chub Lake Park in Carlton.

Crane allowed only one hit while striking out 11 batters, and allowing only one run — an unearned run by McGregor — in the victory.

The 11-1 win was the first victory of the season as the Bulldogs now improve to 1-3 on the season. The Bulldogs lost their first three games of the season to Northwoods, South Ridge and, last Thursday, to Moose Lake-Willow River, and had struggled to get their bats going. That wasn’t the case Tuesday as the Bulldogs’ 11 runs bested the total from their first three games.

Carlton got things started fast as they scored runs in each of the four innings.

The Bulldogs pounded out 14 hits in the victory, led by Ryan Gray who finished 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, a double and two runs batted in. Austin Parker finished with two extra base hits — a double and a triple — and added two runs batted in as well.

Kristian Herman drove in two runs to go along with two hits — including a double — in the victory. Peyton Schmidt also added two hits and a run scored in the ten-run win.

Alex Henry had the lone hit for McGregor in the loss. It was the first game of the season for the Mercuries, who had their first seven games of the season either canceled or postponed.

Carlton is hoping the first win of the season will get them going in the right direction and set themselves up for another deep playoff run. Carlton was the section 7A runner-up a season ago, falling in the section title game to South Ridge.

The Bulldogs were aiming to make it two wins in a row as they were scheduled to host Floodwood Thursday at Chub Lake, after this issue of the Pine Knot News went to press.