By Mark Zinnel- Buttermaker Reporter The #6 seed Hadley Buttermakers took on the #3 seed Fairmont Martins in the Region 13C quarterfinals. Hadley proved to be no match for the Martins as Hadley went down in 2 games. Here is the series recap: Game 1 Wednesday at Fairmont FAIRMONT 11 HADLEY 8 When you get to this stage in tournament play, you would hope you would have ample players to take on the veteran laden Fairmont squad. But that was not the case for Manager Myron Bennett, as Hadley traveled down the interstate with only 11 players available. Everything had to go right for Hadley and for no injuries to occur to take down the Martins. A Buttermaker victory would certainly be an unexpected upset. For the larger portion of Game 1, the Buttermakers had everyone believing that an upset was possible.
Buttermaker ace, Tucker Sorenson was given the starting nod to shut down the Martins.
Both teams would put runners on base in the 1st inning but failed to score. Evan Lenz would get injured on a successful Martin stolen base attempt in the 1st. With no substitute options available, Evan had to play the rest of the game hobbled. In the 3rd, Hadley was first to score. With 1 out, Alex Petersen would work out a walk. Alex Petersen would the steal 2nd. After Evan Lenz flew out, Ausin Irlbeck would walk, Derek Kluis would come to bat and single to right field. Alex Petersen would score and the throw to the plate would get by the catcher as the runners moved to 2nd and 3rd. Brent Hokeness would then double to score two. A great catch by the Martin centerfielder on a sinking fly ball form Danny Blankenship ended the Hadley scoring. Fairmont would come fighting back. A lead-off single and walk looked like Fairmont was primed to cause problems for Hadley. A fielding error would load the bases. Tucker was able to coax an infield fly out. The next Martin batter would hit a grounder to Danny Blankenship at 3rd. Danny would throw home for the force out, but Brent Hokeness throw to 1st for a double play would be off the mark allowing 1 run to score. Tucker would strand the Martins at 2nd and 3rd for a 3-1 Buttermaker advantage.
Hadley would add a run in the 5th. Hadley would load the bases with 1 out. A sacrifice fly from Abe Paulzine would plate a run. Fairmont would load the base in their at bat with 1 out. Tucker Sorenson would get a strikeout and Austin Irlbeck would make a diving catch in centerfield to thwart the Martin scoring opportunity.
Fairmont would cut into Hadley’s lead in the 6th. A 2-run double would close Hadley’s lead to 4-3.
In the 7th, Hadley would stretch their lead. After a leadoff strike out, Brent Hokeness would send a line drive ball over the fence for a 5-3 lead. Danny Blankenship would single and steal 2nd base. Danny would advance to 3rd as the throw got by the 2nd baseman. After another strikeout, Hadley would follow with 3 straight singles to score 2 more runs. Evan Lenz would walk to load the bases. Hadley was hoping to keep things moving. A wild pitch would add another run, but Austin Irlbeck would strikeout with runners in scoring position and an 8-3 Hadley lead. Fairmont was not going to make things easy for Hadley. Fairmont would once again load the bases in the 7th with only 1 out. Tucker would come through and record a strikeout and a harmless fly ball out to keep Hadley in the lead.
Tension at the ballpark rose as the underdog Buttermakers were making things uncomfortable for the Martins. In the 8th Hadley would put 2 runners on base with 1-out but were unable to add to their lead. With Tucker’s pitch count approaching 150; Tucker wanted to start the 8th to face Fairmont with the top of the order coming to bat. Things would not go good for Tucker and Hadley. Fairmont would get two singles to start out. A walk would load the bases. With a Fairmont comeback looming, Tucker was able to get a strikeout. A Buttermaker error would aid in the floodgate opening, allowing 1 run to score A sacrifice fly cut the Buttermaker lead to 8-5. Another walk would reload the bases resulting in a pitching change. Abe Paulzine came into try to stop the Fairmont scoring. Fairmont would continue their onslaught. Fairmont would get 5 straight hits off Abe, with the final Martins’ scoring coming on a big 2-run double for a 11-8 lead. Hadley would commit two additional errors in the inning to aid in the Martin’s scoring.
Hadley would put a runner on base in the 9th, but the Martin reliever would record 3-strikeouts to end the game and a disheartening Buttermaker loss.
Brent Hokeness and Derek Kluis led Hadley with 3 hits. Evan Lenz, Austin Irlbeck, Danny Blankenship, Jakob Olson, Lincoln Graven, and Alex Petersen all had 1 hit for Hadley. Brent Hokeness picked up 3 rbis, with Derek Kluis, Abe Paulzine, Jakob Olson, and Alex Petersen picking up 1 rbi. Abe Paulzine took the loss.
Final Box Score RHE Hadley 8 12 6 Fairmont 11 14 4 Game 2 Saturday FAIRMONT 20 HADLEY 3 – 8 INNINGS Hadley was hoping that being home and the loyal a Buttermaker fan base would take away the bad taste from Wednesday’s loss and propel them to a Game 3. A loss meant the end the season and a shot for returning to the State Tournament. Bryce Ahrendt took the mound to hopefully shut down the veteran laden Martin squad and force a Game 3.
Fairmont showed from the start of the game they were not going to let Hadley stop them from moving on. Fairmont would lead-off the game with back-to-back doubles to score and then picked up a single later to go up 2-0. Fairmont would go up 3-0 in the 3rd when they picked up a single run. In Hadley’s at bat in the 3rd, Brent Hokeness hit a solo homerun to pump up the crowd.
Fairmont would come back in the 4th and put up 3 runs on 4 hits to go up 6-2. Hadley looked like they would claw their back, when their first two batters reached base. Alex Petersen would put down a successful sacrifice bunt to move the runners in scoring position. Evan Lenz would strikeout for out number 2. Tucker Sorenson would single to score 1 run, but the throw to the plate would be on time to tag out Lincoln Graven for a 6-2 Hadley deficit. Avery Weber came into pitch in the 6th. A Buttermaker fielding error would start the inning off. Fairmont would add a run. In Hadley’s at bat, Derek Kluis would lead-off with a double. Fairmont would commit an error to open the door at bit for Hadley. However, a strikeout and a double play killed Hadley’s comeback attempt.
Fairmont would put a stranglehold on the Buttermakers in the 7th. Avery would have a control problem and walk the bases loaded. The Martins next batter would step up and hit a grand slam for a 11-2. Owen Gillette came into pitch.
Fairmont turned the lights out for the Buttermaker fans in the 8th when they scored 9 times on 6 hits to pull away to a 20-2 lead off pitchers Owen Gillette and Peyton Coulter. Brent Hokeness would put up Hadley’s only other run when he belted his 2nd solo homerun of the game for a 20-3 loss ending Hadley’s season.
Brent Hokeness led Hadley with 3 hits. Derek Kluis, Tucker Sorenson, Danny Blankenship, Abe Paulzine, and Lincoln Graven picked up Hadley’s other hits.
RHE Fairmont 20 19 1 Hadley 3 8 1 Hadley ended their season at.12-11. 2025 is just 10 months away. See you next year.
