There really is “no place like home” for the Hastings Hurricanes 35+ Baseball Team, as the Federal League South Division Season kicked off this past Mother’s Day Weekend. Now, the schedulers may not have been kind in playing two games over two very important “holidays”, with the Minnesota Fishing Opener on Saturday, and of course the big day for Mom on Sunday, but the Hurricanes reeled in a 6-1 win over the New Market Northerns on Saturday, before closing the weekend with an impressive 11-1, six-inning victory over the Milltown Outlaws at Vets Park on Sunday.
Pitching was the story again for Hastings (3-0 overall, 2-0 Fed South), with Veteran Lefty Tony Kaiser (TK) earning his first Federal League win, scattering two hits over 4 2/3 innings, before yielding to Derrick Pfeffer in a 2-0 game, with the go-ahead run at the plate in the fifth. Pfeffer got the out, and the save, closing the game 6-1.
“TK really gave us all we needed and then some on Saturday,” said Hurricanes Manager Nick Tuckner. “That sidearm stuff from the left side is vicious, especially to left-handed bats, and New Market struggled to find their sticks against him. Then you have Pfeffer come in throwing gas to close the game, and that’s tough for any team in the league to adjust to in just two innings,” the skipper added.
Hastings High School Grads and Hurricane Rookies Dan Kieffer and Andy Otto each had two huge hits in the win, continuing to give the added pop that the Canes lineup that they were looking for this offseason. Sunday, the Milltown Outlaws came to Vets Park to close a wonderful weekend of Amateur Baseball in Hastings, and the Hurricanes jumped to 3-0, with an 11-1 victory over the Orange and Black.
Hastings Righthander Brent Kompelien pitched the game of his Hurricanes career, thus far, going all six innings, scattering seven hits, and no runs, while walking three, and striking out four. Kompelien got some key offensive help from three-hit days out of both Jordy Horsch, and Alex Harrington, while he also helped his own cause, with two hits at the plate, to go along with the shutout on the hill.
Tuckner was extremely impressed with his righthander’s outing, noting, “It was a total bulldog effort out of Brent Kompelien on Sunday. We were short on pitching all weekend, and he came to me before the game making sure that he was getting the ball and went out there and threw the game of his career, so far. We were all so proud of BK for going out there, staying down in the zone, and letting our defense do work.” The Hurricanes will play one game this week, on Sunday, May 17, traveling to Northfield for a 5:00 p.m. first pitch at Sechler Park.