By: Mark Zinnel- Buttermaker Reporter The long ball proved costly for the Buttermakers in this week’s play, as Hadley would go 1-2 for the week; with the two losses resulting from home runs. Here is the week’s recap: WEDNESDAY: MARSHALL 6 HADLEY 4 Another Wednesday nightanother hard luck loss for the Buttermakers. Hadley traveled to Marshall to take on the A’s in their annual home-and-home series. Hadley was hoping to steal a win against the A’s but that was not to be for Hadley on Wednesday. With a new batch of young Rebels joining the roster, Wednesday’s game would be an opportunity for them to get quality playing time.
Trevin Prins would start on the mound for Hadley. Hadley scored in the 1st without a hit.
Tucker Sorenson and Austin Irlbeck would reach base after getting hit by a pitch. A ground out and a sacrifice fly from Max Zwart would put Hadley up 1-0.
Marshall would match Hadley with 1 run to tie the game.
Hadley would take back the lead in the 3rd. After Abe Paulzine singled to lead off the inning. Abe moved up a base on a successful steal and came in to score on another Max Zwart sacrifice fly to put Hadley up 2-1. Once again, Marshall would match Hadley at 2-2 on a walk and double.
A Marshall defensive error would open the door for Hadley in the 5th to take back the lead.
After the first two Buttermakers reached base, Jakob Olson would single to put Hadley up 3-2. Hadley would leave runners on the corners. Marshall would threaten to score runs in the 6th and 7th, but Trevin Prins would leave runners in scoring position both times.
Hadley would add to their lead in the 8th. After 2-outs, Abe Paulzine would work out a walk. Tucker Sorenson and Austin Irlbeck followed with singles to go up 4-2. Owen Gillette took over for Prins to save the game in the bottom of the 8th.
Owen would get the first 2-outs right away, but then things went awry. Owen would hit the next two batters and then the next A’s batter would battle Owen and work out a walk to load the bases. Skyler Feikema would enter the game to relieve Gillette to keep the Buttermakers lead. The next batter Skyler faced would send a pitch over the right field fence for a grand slam and a 6-4 lead. Hadley would have an opportunity to score in the 9th, but their efforts came up short as they suffered a hard luck loss.
Max Zwart, Tucker Sorenson, and Abe Paulzine led Hadley with 2 hits each. Austin Irlbeck, Derek Kluis, and Jakob Olson each had 1 hit. Owen Gillette was charged with the loss.
Final Box Score R H E Hadley 4 9 0 Marshall 6 8 1 FRIDAY: HADLEY 14 LAKEFIELD 8 The young Frog squad made the Buttermakers work for a “W” as Hadley had to work to come from behind to get out of town with the victory. Once again, Manager Myron Bennett had to work with a limited bench which enabled the chance for the young guns to get a taste of game action. Brody Wixon got the nod to start on the mound for Hadley.
Hadley scored twice in the 1st to start things off. Teague Meyer would lead things off with a triple and come into score on a Dugan Kluis sacrifice fly. Abe Paulzine would single later in the at bat to score another run. The young Frog squad came right back and scored 2 runs of their own to tie things up. The Frogs would get to Brody in the 2nd when they came back to score four times on 5 hits to force a Buttermaker mid-inning pitching change. Dylan Kluis entered to pitch to stop the Lakefield momentum. Hadley would have to work their way back, and that is what they did. Hadley would get a walk, single, and a sacrifice fly to score 1 run in the 3rd. Hadley would bat around in the 5th to take the lead. Hadley scored 4 runs on 5 hits to go up 7-6. Dylan Kluis doubled with two on in the 6th to go 8-6. Dylan Kluis had no problem in keeping the Frogs off the board. Lakefield was able to push across 1 run in the 6th to cut Hadley’s lead to 8-7. Lakefield made notice to the Buttermakers they were in for the long haul.
Hadley widened their lead in the 8th when they pushed across 5 runs on only 2 hits. Lakefield committed 2 costly errors that aided in Hadley’s scoring. Dylan Kluis would tire in the 8th inning but got out of trouble as he stranded the bases loaded with runners with Hadley up 13-7.
Hadley would add a run in the 9th on a fielder’s choice from Tucker Sorenson. Lincoln Swanjord came in to pitch the 9th. Lakefield would get a run in the bottom of the 9th thanks to Hadley’s only fielding errors in the game. A double play would end the Frogs comeback attempt to end the game for a 14-8 Hadley come-from-behind victory.
Dylan Kluis would earn his 2nd victory of the season. Derek Kluis led Hadley in hits with 3. Alex Petersen, Abe Paulzine, and Dylan Kluis each had 2 hits with Teague Meyer, Tucker Sorenson, Austin Irlbeck, and Kaden each with 1 hit. Abe Paulzine, Derek Kluis, and Teague Meyer credited with 2 rbis. Dugan Kluis, Tucker Sorenson, Austin Irlbeck, Dylan Kluis, Kaden Veldhuizen, and Alex Petersen each had 1 rbi.
Final Box Score R H E Hadley 14 13 2 Lakefield 8 12 4 SUNDAY: LUVERNE 4 HADLEY 3-- With an overcast sky and constant drizzle throughout the game, battle for the top spot in the Gopher League was on the line Sunday when the Buttermakers faced the Luverne Redbirds. Both teams knew how important Sunday’s game’s outcome would mean at the end of the season. Tucker Sorenson had the task of keeping the Redbird bats at bay.
Luverne scored first in the game. In the 2nd, after getting the first out on a strike out, Tucker would give up a single and hit a Redbird batter to put things in motion for Luverne. A single followed to score a run, but Tucker would get the final two out leaving two Redbirds on base. Hadley tied the game in the bottom of the 2nd. Danny Blankenship and Abe Paulzine would single. Alex Petersen would double to score Blankenship, but Abe would be tagged out at the plate in a close play for the 3rd out.
Hadley would take the lead in the 3rd. Joe Larson would single and Austin Irlbeck would step up and belt a 2-run homer over the right field fence for a 3-1 lead.
Both team’s pitchers kept bats silenced. In the 6th inning, Luverne would get a lead-off home run to cut Hadley’s lead to 3-2. In Hadley’s at bat in the 6th, things looked promising as a walk and single would start things off. But the Redbird reliever would strike out the next 3 Buttermakers to end the scoring threat.
The old saying is: “Walks will haunt you.” And that is what happened to Hadley. Tucker would walk the Redbird lead-off batter. The next Redbird batter would send a pitch over the left field fence for a 4-3 lead. Hadley would go down 1-2-3 in the 8th and 9th innings to let Luverne escape with the win.
Danny Blankenship led Hadley with 2 hits. Teague Meyer, Austin Irlbeck, Abe Paulzine, Alex Petersen, and Joe Larson each had 1 hit. Tucker Sorenson took the loss.
Final Box Score R H E Hadley 3 7 0 Luverne 4 5 0 Hadley will resume a normal 2-game week. Hadley will travel to Milroy for a return matchup with the Milroy Yankees and then return home on Sunday when they host the Jackson Bulls in
