Derek Kluis

HADLEY 3 PIPESTONE 0

Hadley and Pipestone split their regular season games, so this series would serve as the tiebreaker. With both teams evenly matched, the outcome of this playoff series was unpredictable. Both Hadley and Pipestone entered this series after dropping their last two season ending league games. Both teams were using their ace starters, Mitchell Biever for Pipestone and Tucker Sorenson for Hadley. This would be the first time Hadley would see Biever, while Tucker had shut out the A’s earlier, limiting the A’s to just 1 hit.

A great crowd attended Game 1 to cheer on both teams. Hadley got out on top early. In the 1 st inning, after a leadoff out, Hadley would get four straight singles to score twice.

Hadley had an opportunity to score more but could not push across another run. Pipestone looked primed to match the Buttermakers in the bottom of the inning. After Tucker hit the 1st A’s batter, he recorded 2 strikeouts. Back-to-back singles would load the bases. Tucker would leave the bases loaded after recording the 3rd out on a strikeout.

The game was at 2-0. In the 5th , Hadley would load the bases with only 1 out. With the infield drawn in, Max Zwart hit a slow grounder to 1st base. The throw home would be on time to force Dylan Kluis out. Jakob Olson would strike out to end the Buttermaker scoring opportunity. Hadley would get back-to-back doubles from Danny Blankenship and Abe Paulzine in the 6th inning to go up 3-0.

Hadley had an opportunity in the 7th to increase their lead when they started the inning with singles from Austin Irlbeck and Derek Kluis, but Hadley would fail to do anything with the opportunity. In Pipestone’s at bat in the 7th , it looked like Tucker was beginning to tire. Pipestone’s lead-off batter would reach on a Buttermaker defensive error. A single and another Buttermaker defensive error would put runners in scoring position with only 1 out. Manager Myron Bennett met with Tucker and the infield on the mound to discuss things. The decision was to keep Tucker in. Tucker would bear down and leave the runners where they were as he recorded 2 more strikeouts.

Hadley would go down in order in the 8th and 9th. Pipestone would put their leadoff batter on base in the 8th, but Tucker would get out of the inning stranding the runner at 1st and then strike out the side in the 9th to secure the Buttermakers 3-0 victory.

For Hadley, Derek Kluis led Hadley with 3 hits. Austin Irlbeck and Max Zwart chipped in with 2 hits each and Jaden Deacon, Jakob Olson, Abe Paulzine, and Alex Petersen each had 1 hit. Max Zwart, Jakob Olson, and Abe Paulzine accounted for Hadley’s rbis. Tucker Sorenson went the distance for Hadley and pitched an excellent game. Tucker only allowed the A’s 6 hits in the 9-inning game while recording 21 strikeouts and no walks.

Final Box Score

RHE Hadley 3 11 2 Pipestone 0 6 1 Game 2- Saturday in Hadley HADLEY 7 PIPESTONE 1

On a sunny, hot, and humid afternoon, Hadley had a chance to close out the Pipestone A’s in the pivotal Game 2. Rookie, Lincoln Swanjord got the pitching assignment to shut down the A’s and move Hadley forward to the next playoff round. Another huge crowd was in attendance. Pipestone would get a double in the 1st inning, but Lincoln would leave the runner stranded there. Hadley looked like they would start the scoring off in the 2nd inning when they loaded the bases with 2 outs but were unable to push a run across. In the 3rd , Hadley would get their first two batters on base with singles. Brent Hokeness would step up and excite the crowd when he deposited the baseball over the leftfield fence for a 3-0 lead.

In the 4th, it looked like Pipestone would make things exciting. Lincoln would walk the lead-off batter and give up a double. With runners in scoring position, Lincoln would issue his second walk to load the bases. The Pipestone fans got noisy as the tension in the ballpark elevated. Lincoln composed himself and struck out the next three A’s batters as the Buttermaker fans roared, deflating the A’s excitement.

Pipestone was able to score off Lincoln when he gave up a solo home run in the 6 th inning to pull the A’s to within 2 runs at 3-1. That advantage did not last long as Tucker Sorenson would line a pitch over the rightfield fence to give Hadley back their 3-run lead at 4-1. Hadley would extend their lead to 7-1 when they scored 3 runs on a 2-run single from Abe Paulzine and a bases loaded walk to Brent Hokeness. Pipestone would get out of the inning, leaving the bases loaded with Buttermakers.

Bryce Ahrendt would replace Lincoln on the mound in the 7th. Bryce would allow Pipestone only 1 hit in his 3-innings of work to earn the save. Lincoln Swanjord delivered another great pitching performance for Hadley.

Lincoln earned the win and his final pitching line in his 6 innings of work: 1 Run - 5 hits – 2 walks – 1 Hit batter – 15 strikeouts. On the hitting side, Austin Irlbeck and Tucker Sorenson led the way with 3 hits each. Derek Kluis collected 2 hits, and Brent Hokeness, Danny Blankenship, and Abe Paulzine each chipping in with 1 hit. Brent Hokeness led Hadley in rbis with 4, Abe Paulzine 2, and Tucker Sorenson 1.

Final Box Score R H E Hadley 7 11 0 Pipestone 1 6 3

Hadley will head into the Region 10C semi-final play when they try to upset the Number 1 seed, Windom Pirates. Game 1 is set for 7:30 pm at Island Park in Windom. Game 2 is set for Saturday at 2:00 in Hadley. Game 3 will be back in Windom on Sunday, if needed.