Game On! Hadley received the #4 seed in the Region 13C playoff and faced the #5 seed, Jackson Bulls, in a series of two evenly matched teams with loads of playoff experience. Hadley survived the tough Jackson Bull team in come-from behind fashion, for the second year in a row, to advance into the semi-final round of the Region 13C baseball play-offs. The series was a hard fought, intense, nail-biter from the start. Here is the series recap:
Game 1 (Thursday)
HADLEY 5 JACKSON 4
After Wednesday night’s rainout, the Buttermakers returned to Jackson for Game 1 on Thursday. Playoff excitement and tension filled the ballpark. Hadley came to play with a short bench with a couple of regular starters unavailable. In playoffs, you sometimes have to just roll the dice.
Manager Myron Bennett had to fill starting holes with players not accustomed to starting or playing a new position in the hope things worked out. Fortunately for Hadley, things worked out in their favor.
Max Zwart and Eric Wieneke led Hadley with 2 hits. Derek Platt, Nick Bruning, Alex Petersen, and Kyler Deacon all had 1 hit. Nick Bruning, Max Zwart, Eric Wieneke, and Alex Petersen all had 1 rbi. Jacob Van Dam earned the victory. Max Zwart picked up the save.
Final Box Score
R H E
Hadley 5 8 1
Jackson 4 7 3
Game 2 (Saturday) JACKSON 8 HADLEY 5
JACKSON 8 HADLEY 5
Hadley was hoping to dispose of the Jackson Bulls to avoid a Game 3 and move on to the Region 13C semi-final round. Game 2 did not go the way the Buttermakers had wanted as they found themselves playing catchup from the start, but things did get interesting in the end.
Joe Larson and Eric Wieneke led Hadley with 2 hits. Danny Blankenship, Kyler Deacon and Max Zwart would each get 1 hit. Nick Bruning, Lincoln Graven, Max Zwart and Joe Larson would get 1 rbi for Hadley. Sam Erickson went the distance and took the loss.
Final Box Score
R H E
Hadley 5 7 0 Jackson 8 11 1
Jackson 8 11 1
Game 3 (Sunday)
HADLEY 10 JACKSON 9
It came down to this, Game 3 to see which team would move on to the Region 13C semi-final round. A crowd of close to 300 baseball fans attended the deciding Game 3 to watch what turned out to be not only another nerve-wrecking, action packed game, but also not only an exciting come from behind, walk-off 10-9 Buttermaker victory to edge the Bulls. Sunday’s game would have multiple lead changes. Here is the game recap:
Avery Weber was given the starting nod to shut down the Jackson Bulls. Like Saturday’s game, things did not start out in the home team’s favor. Jackson would jump on Weber right away. Jackson’s first 2 batters would reach on singles. After getting an out, Jackson would hit a sacrifice fly to score 1 run. Jackson would get another hit to score a second run. Things were not looking good for Hadley. The next Jackson batter would hit a single to put runners on the corners. The next batter would step up to the plate. On the first pitch the runner from first would steal 2nd base and the runner from 3rd tried a delayed steal of home, but Derek Platt’s throw to Danny Blankenship at the plate would be on time for the tag to end Jackson’s at bat with only a 2-0 lead.
Hadley would come back and plate a run in the bottom of the inning. After an opening out, Joe Larson would get hit by a pitch to reach base bringing up Nick Bruning who was playing with a pulled hamstring and not close to a 100%. Nick would hit a sharp single moving Larson to 3rd base. Max Zwart would then hit a ground ball. Jackson was only able to get Bruning out at 2nd as the throw to first would be wide to turn the double play as Joe Larson trotted home.
Avery Weber would settle down and shut the Bulls down in order in the 2nd and 3rd inning.
Hadley would tie the game in the 2nd after Danny Blankenship and Justin Benda reached on walks and Blankenship would score on a single from Derek Platt. Jackson was forced to make a pitching change.
Hadley would take the lead in the 3rd. After Nick Bruning led off with a single, Max Zwart would reach on a walk. Eric Wieneke would hit a fly ball to leftfield that was caught right at the fence. Danny Blankenship would walk to load the bases. Alex Petersen would hit a fly ball to center. Nick Bruning would beat the throw to the plate. Justin Benda would then hit a 2-run triple to put Hadley in front 5-2.
In the 4th Avery Weber had control problems as he would load the bases on walks. Jacob Van Dam came into pitch. Jackson would greet Van Dam with 3 straight hits and score 4 times to take back the lead at 6-5.
Buttermakers held their composure. In Hadley’s at bat, with Joe Larson on 1st following a fielder’s choice, Nick Bruning would step up and hit a bomb over the left field fence for a 7-6 Hadley lead.
The game would remain at 7-6 until the 7th. Jackson would get 3 hits off Van Dam to tie the game at 7. Jackson would have a runner thrown out at 3rd to squelch any further scoring. Hadley would take back the lead in the 8th. Jackson chose to intentionally walk Nick Bruning to start off the inning. Carter Benda came into pinch run. Carter would advance to 2nd on a passed ball. After Jackson recorded to an out, Danny Blankenship would step up and lace a single up the middle scoring Benda and an 8-6 Buttermaker lead.
In the 8th, Jackson would get a walk and single off Van Dam forcing a Buttermaker pitching change. Max Zwart came into pitch and try to keep Jackson off the boards. Max would get the next 2 outs. The next Bull batter would line a single to score 2 giving Jackson a 9-8 lead. Jackson would make a pitching change going into the 8th. Hadley would go down in order as the game moved to the 9th with Hadley down a run.
In Jackson’s at bat, they would get 2 straight hits off Zwart. Max would record a strikeout for the 1st out. With runners still on 1st and 2nd, the next batter would hit a comebacker to the mound which Max fumbled before getting the out at 1st. Meanwhile the runner raced home. Eric Wieneke would quickly throw to the plate would be on time as Danny Blankenship applied the tag for the final out. The Buttermaker fans erupted. What would the Buttermakers have in store for the fans?
Joe Larson led off by fouling out. Nick Bruning would work out a walk. Jaden Bloemendahl came into pinch run for Bruning. Max Zwart would step up and get hit by a pitch to put 2 runners on. Jackson made another pitching change. Following the pitching change, Eric Wieneke would single. Manager, Myron Bennet would wave Jaden around to score. Jaden would just slide under the tag at the plate to tie the game. Jackson decided to set up for a double play. Jackson intentionally walked Danny Blankenship to load the bases with Alex Petersen stepping up to bat with a chance to win the game. The hometown boy would not let the fans down as Alex laced a single past the drawn in infield a scoring Max Zwart with the game winning run giving Hadley a dramatic 10-9 victory
Nick Bruning led Hadley in hits with 3, with Derek Platt, Eric Wieneke, Danny Blankenship, Justin Benda, and Alex Petersen al collecting 1 hit. Nick Bruning, Justin Benda, and Alex Petersen all had 2 rbis for Hadley with Derek Platt, Max Zwart, Eric Wieneke and Danny Blankenship all picking up an rbi. Max Zwart would earn the victory.
Final Box Score
R H E
Hadley 10 8 1
Jackson 9 14 0
Hadley will now face the Number 1 seed, Milroy Irish in the semi-final round. Game 1 will be Wednesday night at the Irish Yards in rural Vesta at 7:30. The series will return to Hadley on Saturday with a 2:00 start and then back at Irish Yards on Sunday for Game 3 at 2:00, if needed.
