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Austin Evans -
Dylan Kluis
The Buttermakers had a busy week of baseball with hopes of staying undefeated. But Hadley came up short, suffering two disappointing losses. Here is the week’s recap:
WEDNESDAY: HADLEY 7 PIPESTONE 1
Whenever Hadley and Pipestone meet up, the outcome of the game is always unpredictable no matter what each team’s record is. With team just gaining victories over Fairmont over the weekend, Wednesday night’s game was expected to be close one.
Hadley had a short bench for the night’s game but was determined to stay unbeaten. With 1out, in the 1st, Dylan Kluis would blast a double to centerfield. With 2 outs, Max Zwart would single to right, Dylan Kluis would race home but be called out at the plate to end the inning. In the 2nd inning, the Pipestone pitcher would walk the bases loaded and Tucker Sorenson hit the pitch to the left-center gap for a bases clearing triple. Hadley attempted to add to their lead in the 5th when they loaded the bases again on 3 walks but were unable to bring in a run.
The A’s reliever would once again load the bases on 3 walks in the 6th. This time Hadley did not let the scoring opportunity pass them by. With 2-outs, Max Zwart would double down the leftfield line to clear the bases. Austin Irlbeck would follow with a single to score Zwart and a 7-0 lead.
Tucker Sorenson started on the mound for Hadley and brought his A game. Tucker would hold the A’s to just 1 hit with that coming on a bunt single in the bottom of the 6th inning that led to the A’s only scoring opportunity A hit batter would follow. Hadley would make a fielding error that allowed one A’s runner to cross the plate, but Tucker would bear down and get the final outs of the inning leaving A’s runner on 2nd and 3rd. Tucker would finish the game by walking 3 and striking out 18 A’s batter to pick up his 3rd victory.
Max Zwart led Hadley with 2 hits. Abe Paulzine, Dylan Kluis, Bryce Ahrendt, Tucker Sorenson, and Austin Irlbeck all had 1 hit.
Final Box Score
RHE Hadley 7 7 1 Pipestone 1 1 1
SATURDAY: HADLEY 10 RENNER 0 – 5 Innings
The independent Renner Rangers visited Hadley for a rematch from the season opener. In a scheduled 7-inning game; Hadley shut out the Rangers in the season opener and duplicated the results by shutting them out again in a shortened 5-inning contest called after 5 due to the mercy rule.
Hadley would score a run in the 1st after Austin Irlbeck led off with a double. Austin Evans moved Austin to 3rd on a successful sacrifice bunt and would reach on a Ranger fielding error. Irlbeck would come in to score on a fielder’s choice out by Dylan Kluis.
In the 3rd, Hadley scored 5 times. Austin Evans would reach on a Ranger error. Backto- back walks would load the bases. Alex Petersen would single to score two. Skyler Feikema, Brody Wixon and Trevin Prins would single to bring in 3 more Buttermakers. Austin Irlbeck would hit a sacrifice fly for Hadley’s final run. Hadley would string 5 hits in a row in the 4th to score 4 runs to go up 10-0, with 2 runs coming in on a Skyler Feikema triple.
Trevin Prins took the mound for Hadley and had little trouble with the Rangers batters. Trevin would allow only 3 hits and strike out 3 Ranger batters as he went the distance for his first victory.
Alex Ptersen led Hadley with 3 hits and 3 rbis. Skyler Feikema chipped in with 2 hits and 3 rbis, Brody Wixon had 2 hits and 2 rbis, Austin Irlbeck with 2 hits and 1 rbi with Max Zwart, Bryce Ahrendt, and Trevin Prins each had 1 hit.
Final Box Score
RHE Hadley 10 12 1 Renner 0 3 2
SUNDAY GAME 1: WINDOM 6 HADLEY 3 – 10-Innings
Hadley’s first opponent in Sunday’s double-header was against the 5th ranked Class C team, Windom Pirates. There is no love lost between these two teams. With both teams entering the game undefeated, a close competitive game was expected. Something had to give and for Hadley things did not go their way. The game went back and forth with both teams failing to produce key hits when opportunities arose.
Dylan Kluis started on the mound to quell the Pirate bats for Hadley. Windom set out from the start to show the Buttermakers they were serious. Windom would get 2 hits to start out off Dylan and to take an early 1-0 lead. Hadley matched the Pirates in the bottom of the 1st with lead off singles. Derek Kluis would hit a sacrifice bunt back to the Windom starter. The Windom pitcher would attempt to throw to 3rd to get the lead runner, Tucker Sorenson, but his throw would be off the mark allowing Tucker to race home. Max Zwart would ground out to bring in Austin Irlbeck. Evan Lenz would single and Derek Kluis would attempt to score from 2nd, but the throw from right field to the plate would be in time to tag out Kluis.
Windom picked up 3 hits off Dylan in the 2nd and were able to tie the game 2-2. Windom would take the lead back in the 3rd when they scored a run on 2 hits, Dylan left runners on the corner to get out of any further trouble. Windom threatened to stretch their lead in the 4th as again they put two runners on base. Lincoln Swanjord came in to relieve Kluis and kept the score at 3-2.
Hadley tied the game in the 6th when Max Zwart led off with a solo home run. Hadley would load the bases on 2 hit batters and a single with only 1 out, with a chance to break open the game. Alex Petersen would strike out and then Windom made a pitching change to bring in their ace to face Tucker Sorenson. Tucker would strike out leaving the bases loaded.
Hadley had a chance to take the lead in the 7th when Max Zwart doubled with 2 outs, but once again Windom escaped. Windom put 2 runners on base with only 1 out in the top of the 9th. Lincoln Swanjord would strike out the next two Pirates to move to a chance for Hadley to win, but Hadley would go down 1-2-3 to move the game to the 10th.
Just like MLB, extra innings started with a runner on 2nd base. The first Pirate batter would hit a comebacker to the mound. Lincoln’s throw to 3rd would be too late to get out the runner. Windom end up collecting 3 hits in the inning to take a 6-3 lead. Hadley would go down in order to end the game.
Bryce Ahrendt, Abe Paulzine, Tucker Sorenson, Austin Irlbeck, Evan Lenz, and Derek Kluis all had 1 hit for Hadley with Max Zwart picking up 2 hits and credited with 2 rbis. Lincoln Swanjord took the tough loss. Owen Gillette saw relief duty for Hadley.
Final Box Score
RHE Hadley 3 8 1 Windom 6 15 1
SUNDAY GAME 2: GRANITE FALLS 3 HADLEY 2 – 5 ½ Innings
With showers predicted, Game 2 got underway early versus the Granite Falls Kilowatts. Bryce Ahrendt would start on the mound for Hadley. Granite Falls jumped out early as they recorded 4 hits off Bryce and took an early 2-0 lead. Hadley would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning. Tucker Sorenson would get hit by pitch and Austin Irlbeck would double to put the runners in scoring position. An infield ground out from Derek Kluis would bring in Tucker, but 2 strikeouts would leave Austin stranded on 3rd.
Hadley would tie the game in the 3rd when Tucker Sorenson led off with a triple and came in to score on a Derek Kluis single. In the 5th, Granite Falls would get a 2-out double on a fly ball that just evaded Tucker Sorenson racing in from center. A single would follow to put Granite Falls in the lead. In the bottom of the 5th, Alex Petersen would double to start things off. He would move to 3rd on an infield ground out. Derek Kluis would fly out to right field. Alex Petersen would attempt to score but get thrown out at the plate.
Owen Gillette took over on the mound in the 6th and kept Granite off the board. The sky opened and rain fell before Hadley could bat. The umpires called the game official with Granite Falls taking home the victory.
Final Box Score
R H E Hadley 2 5 0 Granite Falls 3 7 0 Hadley will have another busy week of baseball. Hadley will be on the road until June 21st.
Hadley will travel to Irish Yard to take on the Milroy Irish on Wednesday night (7:30)pm) Hadley will then head to Granite Falls for a rematch with the Kilowatts on Saturday night (5:00 pm) and then to Heron Lake on Sunday to face the Lakers (2:00 pm).
