Senior Gavin Grondin fires a pitch during the second inning against Crivitz Friday afternoon. Grondin worked the first two innings for Kingsford, striking out three while allowing one hit, one walk and no runs. (Ron Deuter photo)

CRIVITZ, Wis. — A last-inning letdown spoiled opening day for the Kingsford varsity baseball team Friday afternoon, as Crivitz plated three unearned runs in their final at-bat and defeated the Flivvers 3-2 in a non-conference matchup.

“We played six innings of great baseball and unfortunately we walked three guys in the bottom of the seventh and made some ill-timed errors,” said Flivvers head coach Joe Kriegl, last season’s Great Northern Conference Coach of the Year. “In close games and against good teams like Crivitz, you just can’t do that.”

Kingsford, using four pitchers in the game, had held Crivitz to just one hit through the first six innings, but the three walks in the bottom of the seventh set the table for Crivitz to steal the win. The first run came in when some miscommunication between the Kingsford infield and outfield resulted in a minor collision in shallow right and a dropped pop up. With the bases still loaded and one out, Crivitz rolled into what should have been a game-ending double play. The ball was scooped at shortstop and flipped to second for one, but the throw to first went wide and past the bag, allowing both the tying and winning runs to score.

It took a while for the Kingsford bats to get going in the game, which was Kingsford’s first action outdoors this spring with all practices to date being held inside.

The Flivvers were retired in order in three of the first four innings, with their only baserunner coming via a lead off walk in the second.

But that all changed for Kingsford in the fifth inning.

Senior Gavin Trevillian led off the inning with a single through the left side.

A walk to senior Nolan Hendrickson followed by a stolen base gave the Flivvers runners on second and third with two out, and senior Gavin Grondin came through by drilling a two-run double to the gap in left center.

Grondin, seniors Garrett Brown, Andres Finley and Nic Novara all worked the mound for Kingsford with the lefty Novara shouldering the loss in the final frame.

Despite the heartbreaking opener, the Flivvers figure to dominate the conference this spring.

The defending GNC champions, Kingsford returns just about its entire roster from a season ago, with a strong and talented group of seven seniors leading the way.

Trevillian shared Pitcher of the Year honors last season, and Finley was Co-Offensive Player of the Year.

The GNC All Defensive team included Trevillian, junior catcher Jack Kriegl, Brown and Grondin.

Brown and Grondin were also GNC First Team picks, along with senior Joey Weber.

Hendrickson and sophomore Jonah Doenier were GNC Second Team selections.

Kingsford’s upperclassman group also includes juniors Jake Deuter and Cole Baciak.

Good numbers among the underclassmen will allow for more roster flexibility and a full dedicated junior varsity squad.

The JV team posted a 13-0 victory against Crivitz after the varsity contest Friday.

“I like the team chemistry,” Kriegl said. “These guys have played a lot of sports together. The truth is that on paper we’re as good as we’ve ever been. Just with the senior leadership we have, the potential for this group is sky high. Ultimately though, as we saw this afternoon, you have to execute.

“So hopefully we’ll be able to do that moving forward, and I’m confident we will.”

Despite falling to the Wolverines, Kriegl was happy with his pitching staff.

“Overall I’m happy with the pitching today,” Kriegl said. “It’s great to play baseball. I appreciate being able to put Crivitz on the schedule and come down here and play them. They have a good baseball team.

“We didn’t hit the ball particularly well, but it’s the first game and hopefully we’ll get better.”

Kingsford heads to Oconto Falls on Thursday. The Flivvers’ home opener is slated for Monday, April 14, against Negaunee.