Hadley would stumble a bit in the final week of league play going 1-2. Here is the week’s games recap:
Tuesday vs. Luverne
LUVERNE 14 HADLEY 3
Hadley traveled to Luverne for the continuation of the game that was rained out on May 16th. After beating Gopher League co-leader Milroy Irish on Sunday, Hadley was hoping to duplicate against the other co-leader, Luverne Redbirds. The Buttermakers were also hoping that if they could close out the season with 3 victories that they might have a possibility to take over 2nd place in the Gopher league standings. The game picked up where it left off before being rained out with Luverne up 1-0 with 1 on base and 2 outs in the 1st inning. Trent Carlson took over on the mound for Luke Drooger and Trent was able to retire the Redbirds to move to the bottom of the 1st. Nick Bruning would walk in his at bat and steal 2nd but that was as far as Nick would advance.
In the 2nd inning, the Redbird’s bats teed off on Trent Carlson. Luverne would collect 4 runs on 5 hits to go up 5-0. Hadley would go down in order in their at bat. Luverne would continue their hitting in the 3rd as they would add to their lead by adding 4 more runs off Carlson to go up 9-0. Rookie, Derek Kluis was brought into take over on the mound from Carlson. Derek would give up a double and hit batter before getting out of the inning.
Hadley would pick up their first hit of the game in the 3rd. With 2 outs Joe Larson would walk. Nick Bruning would step up and hit a moonshot over the left field fence to pull Hadley to a 9-2 deficit.
Derek Kluis would work his way out damage a couple of times during the 4th through the 8th innings but kept the Redbirds to only 9 runs. Hadley would close the lead to 9-3 in 5th inning. Abe Paulzine would lead-off with a single. With 1 out, Joe Larson would pick up his 2nd straight walk. Both runners would move up on a passed ball. With 2 outs, Kellan Johnson would single to score Paulzine. Avery Weber would then come to bat and hit a low liner to the 2nd baseman for the final out. Hadley would go hit-less and scoreless the rest of the way.
Luverne would put the game away in the 9th. The Redbirds finally were able to figure Derek Kluis out as they put 5 runs across the plate to go up 14-3 for the decisive victory.
Luverne limited Hadley to only 4 hits. Nick Bruning checked in with 1 hit, and 2 rbis. Kellan Johnson had 1 hit and 1 rbi with Abe Paulzine and Derek Kluis picking up the other two Buttermaker hits. Luke Drooger was charged with the loss after allowing Luverne’s first run in the 1st inning.
Final Box Score
R H E
Hadley 14 18 0
Luverne 3 4 0
Friday vs Pipestone
HADLEY 12 PIPESTONE 5
Hadley traveled to Pipestone on Friday evening to take on the Pipestone A’s in a rematch from Hadley’s no-hitter on May 23rd. Could history repeat itself? Jacob Van Dam started on the mound for Hadley this time around to shut down the A’s bats. Friday’s game was a bit different from their first matchup. Hits were aplenty and defensive miscues in abundance.
Hadley would get on the board in the 1st without getting a hit. Joe Larson would start out the game by reaching on a Pipestone fielding error. Justin Benda would follow by reaching base on another A’s fielding error. Nick Bruning would hit a grounder to 3rd base. The A’s 3rd baseman would make the throw to 1st base, but base that throw would be dropped by the 1st baseman. Joe Larson raced home and slid across the plate before the tag could be applied. Danny Blankenship would hit into a double play to end the inning with Hadley up 1-0. Jacob Van Dam would hit a batter in the bottom of the inning, but Pipestone would leave him at 1st.
Pipestone would finally get their 1st hit off Buttermaker pitching in the 2nd inning but was left stranded at 2nd base. Pipestone would put another runner at 2nd base in the 3rd inning, but Van Dam would leave him standing at 2nd base also.
Hadley would get their 1st hit off the A’s starter in the 4th and added to their lead. With 1 out, Max Zwart and Danny Blankenship would single. Alex Petersen would ground out as Zwart and Blankenship would move up a base. Kellan Johnson would then hit a double to score 2 and give Hadley a 3-0 lead. Pipestone would get on the board in the bottom of the inning. Jacob Van Dam would give up a walk. The runner would steal 2nd and come around later to score on a single to cut Hadley’s lead to 3-1.
In the 5th Hadley would threaten to score. Joe Larson would double with 1 out. Justin Benda singled. With Nick Bruning at bat, Justin Benda would steal 2nd base. Once the throw went to 2nd, Joe Larson raced home attempting a double steal, but would be thrown out at the plate. Nick Bruning would strike out to end the Buttermaker scoring threat.
Hadley added to their lead in the 6th. Max Zwart and Danny Blankenship would single to start things off for Hadley. Alex Petersen would move the runners up on a sacrifice bunt.
Kellan Johnson would hit a short fly ball just over the infield that would be caught by the A’s shortstop. With Mitch Magnus pinch running for Max Zwart, Mitch would tag up and beat the throw to the plate. Trent Carlson would single to score Blankenship. Carter Benda would come into courtesy run for Carlson. Chris Halbur would get a hit into right field. The right-fielder would overrun the ball. After retrieving he ball, his throw to 3rd to try to get Carter Benda out would go over the fence to allow the runners to advance and giving Hadley a 6-1 lead. Pipestone would not let Hadley get comfortable. In the bottom of the inning would get a run back on 1 hit, a Buttermaker error and 2 walks, but Van Dam would get out of the inning leaving the bases full of A’s and a 6-2 Hadley advantage.
Hadley would pick up a run in the 7th. After a Nick Bruning double off the Pipestone reliever, Hadley would load the bases on a walk and single by Danny Blankenship. Abe Paulzine would pinch hit and score Bruning on a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the inning, Pipestone would pick away again at the Buttermaker lead. Pipestone would get back-to-back singles to start off the inning. A sacrifice fly would bring in a run. Following a walk, Manager Myron Bennett would make a pitching change, Max Zwart was brought in. Max would get a strike out and infield pop out to stop the A’s scoring and a 7-3 Hadley lead.
In the 8th, Hadley would widen the lead. Hadley would score 5 runs to go up 12-3. Hadley would only pick up 1 hit, along with 2 walks, 1 hit batter and 2 Pipestone errors to account for the 5 runs. Pipestone would get 2 runs in the 9th to close to 12-5, but Max Zwart would get the final out on a strike out to end the game.
Danny Blankenship would lead Hadley with 3 hits. Nick Bruning, and Max Zwart would each collect 2 hits with Joe Larson, Justin Benda, Trent Carlson, Kellan Johnson and Chris Halbur all getting 1 hit. Kellan Johnson led the Buttermakers with 3 rbis. Abe Paulzine would get 2 rbis with Nick Bruning, Justin Benda,, Max Zwart and Trent Carlson each credited with 1 rbi. Jacob Van Dam earned the victory with Max Zwart earning the save.
Final Box Score
R H E
Hadley 12 11 4
Pipestone 5 9 7
Fan Appreciation Sunday vs Lakefield
LAKEFIELD 8 HADLEY 5 – 10 innings
Hadley entertained the Lakefield Horned Frogs on Fan Appreciation Sunday for the final game of the regular season. With Hadley’s standing in the Gopher League secured, the Buttermakers were hoping to keep their undefeated home winning streak going, but Lakefield came to town hoping to derail the Buttermakers streak heading into the playoffs. That is exactly what they did. Lakefield would slip by the Buttermakers in extra innings. Short on pitching, Avery Weber would make the start for the final regular season’s game. Here is the game recap:
Avery Weber would be a little shaky in the 1st inning as the Frogs would get 3 hits off Avery and score 2 runs for a quick advantage. Lakefield may have scored more, but centerfielder, Justin Benda would throw a Lakefield runner out trying to advance to 3rd for the final out in the inning. Hadley would go down in order in the bottom of the 1st.
Hadley would cut the lead in half in the 2nd. Danny Blankenship would lead-off by hitting a double high off the fence in left field. Denver Decker would be brought onto courtesy run and move to 3rd on a wild pitch and score on a sacrifice fly put from Alex Petersen. Hadley would take the lead in the 3rd inning. After a lead off out, Derek Kluis would single. Joe Larson would follow with a single. Derek Kluis would beat the throw into 3rd base allowing Joe Larson to advance to 2nd base. Justin Benda would single to bring in Kluis and Larson. Nick Bruning would follow with a single. After Danny Blankenship struck out, Abe Paulzine would single to drive in Benda and a 4-2 Hadley lead.
Lakefield would keep the pressure on Hadley and Weber. In the 5th Avery would allow 2 walks and 2 hits but Avery would escape by stranding 2 Lakefield runners at 2nd and 3rd. Hadley would take back the lead on back-to-back doubles by Nick Bruning and Danny Blankenship to go up 5-4.
In the 7th, Avery Weber would tire on the mound. After allowing a single and a walk. A pitching change was made. Abe Paulzine would see his 1st duty on the mound. The first batter Abe faced would single up the middle to tie the game. Abe would get the 3rd out on a strike out. Both teams would put a runner on base in the 8th and 9th inning, but the game remained tied requiring extra innings.
Lakefield finally figured Abe out in the 10th. Lakefield would get 4 hits off Paulzine and a walk to go up 8-5. Derek Kluis came into relieve Paulzine and record the final out. Hadley could not do anything against the Lakefield reliever as the game ended with Lakefield taking the 8-5 victory.
Justin Benda, Nick Bruning and Danny Blankenship led Hadley with 2 hits. Joe Larson, Abe Paulzine, Derek Kluis, Kellan Johnson and Alex Petersen all would pick up a hit. Justin Benda led Hadley with 2 rbis with Danny Blankenship, Abe Paulzine and Alex Petersen each picking up 1 rbi. Abe Paulzine would be charged with the loss.
Final Box Score
R H E
Hadley 5 11 2
Heron Lake 8 17 2
Region 13C playoffs begin on Wednesday. Hadley will go into the playoffs as the #3 seed in the Gopher League and will face the #6 seed form the First Nite League, Mountain Lake Lakers.
Game 1 will be Wednesday night at 7:30 pm in St. James and will return to Hadley on Saturday for a 2:00 pm start time. If needed, Game 3 will be on Sunday in Hadley at 2:00 pm. Now the real fun begins!
