Entering last week at 12-2, Hastings Softball has had an amazing season thus far with a 10-game win streak that was broken up by the North St. Paul (NSP) Polars with a 5-4 loss on May 5. The girls took their frustrations out on Hill-Murray winning that one 11-0 on May 7 before they fell to Edina 3-1 on May 8.
At North St. Paul
The Raiders battled through eight intense innings but ultimately fell 4-3 in a dramatic extra-inning matchup against NSP on Friday. Hastings had defeated NSP at home earlier in the season 10-0 to start their winning streak and the Polars made things even by ending that streak.
Senior pitcher Haley Strain turned in a strong performance on the mound, striking out 10 and contributing at the plate with a triple, double, single, and a walk. She scored twice and was central to Hastings’ offensive effort.
The Raiders opened the scoring in the fourth when Strain doubled and later crossed the plate on a two-out double by Lily Watts. North St. Paul responded in the bottom half, tying the game 1-1.
In the sixth, Hastings briefly regained the lead. After reaching on an error and advancing on a walk and wild pitch, Leighton Robinson scored on another single by Watts, giving the Raiders a 2-1 edge. But the Polars answered back again in their half of the inning, taking a 3-2 lead.
Hastings fought back in the top of the eighth. Strain and Ella Hauschaudt led off with back-to-back singles. After a bunt and groundout moved runners up, Lauren Meyer laid down a bunt that was mishandled, allowing the tying run to score. Pinch runner Lila Gessner then pulled off a gutsy steal of home to put Hastings up 4-2.
But North St. Paul wasn’t done. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, the Polars rallied with two singles and a costly Hastings error. E. Zakrzewski capped the comeback with a two-run double to tie the game and end it via walk-off.
Despite the loss, the Raiders showed resilience and strong pitching, with Strain carrying the bulk of the load. Hastings will look to bounce back in their next outing with tighter defensive execution and continued offensive contributions from the top of the order.
At Hill-Murray
Raiders bounced back in commanding fashion with an 11–0 shutout over Hill-Murray on May 7, riding another stellar outing from ace Haley Strain and a third-inning offensive explosion to secure the win in just five innings.
Strain was untouchable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over five innings and allowing just three hits while keeping Hill-Murray scoreless. She also contributed offensively with a walk and a run scored.
Hastings got on the board early in the bottom of the first thanks to heads-up baserunning from Sienna. McCoy, who scored on an error after leading off with a single. The Raiders kept the pressure on in the second, extending their lead to 2–0 with a sacrifice fly by Addie Seleski.
The game broke wide open in the third when Hastings plated six runs. Claire Reider’s bases-clearing double was the highlight, driving in three and setting the tone for the inning. Lauren Muhl followed with an RBI single, and McCoy added a two-run single to cap the surge.
Hastings added three more in the fourth, including another RBI hit from Muhl, who finished 3-for-3, and a two-run double from Gessner. Reider stayed hot at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk, a double, and three RBIs.
The defense backed Strain with clean play until a single error in the fourth, but it had no impact on the outcome. Hill-Murray threatened briefly in the fifth, putting runners on second and third, but Strain shut the door with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to seal the mercy-rule victory.
With the win, the Raiders avoided back-to-back loses and gained momentum heading into the back half of the season, anchored by strong pitching and a lineup capable of explosive innings.
At Edina
Despite a strong pitching effort and a solo home run from Strain, Hastings dropped a 3–1 decision to Edina on May 9 in a tightly contested non-conference battle.
Strain once again impressed in the circle, recording 11 strikeouts and limiting Edina to just a handful of hits. She also provided the Raiders’ lone run of the game, launching a solo homer to right in the fourth inning to briefly cut Edina’s lead in half.
Edina opened the scoring in the second, capitalizing on an error and timely hitting to plate a run. A solo home run by the Hornets in the third extended their lead to 2–0. After Strain's blast in the fourth, the Hornets tacked on an insurance run in the sixth, scoring on a two-out error.
The Raiders threatened in the fifth with back-to-back singles from Watts and Meyer, but Edina’s defense held firm, cutting down a runner at the plate to end the inning. Offensively, Hastings struggled to make consistent contact, recording just four hits and striking out 13 times.
With the loss, the Raiders wrapped up their week with one win and two close defeats, showing resilience and strong pitching but facing challenges capitalizing on scoring opportunities.
The Raiders have two regular-season games left, May 16 at New Ulm scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and a trip across the river to Prescott on May 17 scheduled for a noon first pitch. The first round of sections starts on May 19 at the high seed. Hastings should be hosting a game that day, but until the section coaches meet, anything is possible. Watch our Facebook Page for the initial bracket release. A first-round win will give the Raiders another game on May 21. Additional wins mean games on May 22 and May 23 for a very busy week. Good Luck Raiders!