The Hastings Hawks entered the week with a 4-1 record after winning four straight games, but a busy stretch against Cannon Falls, North St. Paul, Dundas and Miesville slowed that early momentum. Hastings played four games in seven days, starting with a 2 p.m. home game against Cannon Falls on Monday, May 25, followed by a 7:30 p.m. home game against the North St. Paul Snowmen on Wednesday, May 27. The Hawks then traveled to Dundas for a 7:30 p.m. game against the Dukes on Friday, May 29, before returning home to face the Miesville Mudhens at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 31. The week included two high-scoring games to start, then two shutout losses as Hastings fell to 4-5 overall.
The week opened with a game that had plenty of offense, but too many early runs for Cannon Falls. The Bears scored four runs in the second inning and one more in the third to build a 5-0 lead before Hastings answered in the bottom of the third. The Hawks scored twice in that inning, trimming the deficit to 5-2 and giving themselves a chance to work back into the game.
Cannon Falls added two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth, stretching the lead to 9-2. Hastings did not go quietly. The Hawks put together their best inning of the day in the seventh, scoring four runs to cut the deficit to 9-6. That rally gave Hastings a late push, but Cannon Falls answered with two runs in the eighth and held the Hawks scoreless over the final two innings.
Cannon Falls finished with 11 runs on 14 hits, while Hastings had six runs on 12 hits. The Hawks also committed seven errors, which made the comeback harder. Jack Seleski had a big day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with three doubles, one walk, one run and a stolen base. Bennett Brathol went 2-for-2 with an RBI, a walk, a hit by pitch, two stolen bases and a sacrifice fly. Johnny Teigland drove in two runs, Cooper Pagel doubled and drove in one, Kane Sheahan added an RBI, and Taylor Pagel also drove in a run.
Cannon Falls won the game 11-6. Gavin Odman took the loss for Hastings, throwing four innings and allowing five runs, two earned, on five hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Dennis Reinhart worked two innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Seleski threw one scoreless inning with one strikeout, Cory Wolters allowed two runs in one inning, and Brathol finished with one scoreless inning, striking out two.
Two nights later, Hastings was back at home against North St. Paul, and the Snowmen grabbed control early. North St. Paul scored twice in the first inning and added another run in the second for a 3-0 lead. Hastings was held without a run through the first three innings before breaking through in the fourth.
The Hawks scored once in the fourth and once in the fifth to pull within 3-2. Kelin Rasmussen scored one of the Hastings runs, and Jackson Schaffer had the team’s biggest hit, a double that drove in a run. Cooper Desutter also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. The Hawks had chances, but North St. Paul pitching limited Hastings to three hits for the game.
The Snowmen added one run in the sixth and one more in the ninth to pull away. Max Strecker led North St. Paul with three hits and three runs, while Seth Nelson added two hits and an RBI. Hastings stayed within reach because of its pitching after the early innings. Desutter started and struck out five in three innings, while Nolan Drossel covered the final six innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits with five strikeouts.
North St. Paul beat Hastings 5-2. Desutter took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits over three innings. Drossel gave the Hawks a long relief outing and helped keep the game close. At the plate, Schaffer went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI, Rasmussen went 1-for-4 with a run, and Kane Sheahan added a pinch-hit single. Hastings finished with two runs, three hits and three errors.
The Hawks traveled to Dundas on Friday and were shut out despite putting together nine hits. Hastings had baserunners throughout the game but could not string enough offense together to score. The Hawks left ten runners on base and were held scoreless in all nine innings.
Dundas scored one run in the first, two in the third and three in the fourth. That gave the Dukes a 6-0 lead, and the score held the rest of the way. The Hawks pitching staff settled in after the fourth inning, and Eddie Moore gave Hastings three strong innings to close the game. Moore did not allow a hit over three scoreless innings, striking out three and walking two.
The offensive frustration came from missed chances. Hastings had nine hits, but Dundas did not commit an error and kept the Hawks from turning traffic into runs. Nolan Drossel went 2-for-4 for Hastings. Dylan Larson, Jackson Schaffer, Kelin Rasmussen, Johnny Teigland, Cooper Desutter, Nick Brandt and Griffin DiTeodoro each added one hit. Rasmussen had the Hawks’ only extra-base hit, a double, and Teigland stole a base.
Dundas defeated Hastings 6-0. Reece Cox started for the Hawks and allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits over three innings with three walks and two strikeouts. Jordan Jeske allowed three runs on three hits over two innings. Moore finished the game with three hitless innings. Hastings had nine hits and four errors, while Dundas scored six runs on five hits.
The week ended Sunday with another shutout loss, this time at home against Miesville. The Mudhens scored two runs in the second inning, one in the fourth, one in the fifth and one in the ninth. Hastings was held to four hits and could not get a run across against Jac Wright and Blake Ritzer.
Miesville finished with 12 hits and 11 runners left on base. The Mudhens did not have one huge inning, but they kept pressure on Hastings by scoring in four different innings. Joey Werner tripled and scored two runs, CJ Dornfeld went 3-for-4 with an RBI, Marshall Gordon had two hits and scored twice, and Evan Nelson added two hits. Eddie Peine drove in two runs, and Brock Rinehart had two sacrifice flies.
Hastings had hits from Max Krebs, Kelin Rasmussen, Bennett Brathol and Cooper Desutter. Desutter had the Hawks’ only extra-base hit, a double. Dylan Larson, Brathol and Rasmussen each stole a base, but Hastings could not turn those chances into runs. The Hawks left nine runners on base.
Miesville beat Hastings 5-0. Ben Teigland took the loss for Hastings, allowing three runs on eight hits over four innings with two walks and two strikeouts. Vinnie Wodele threw two innings and allowed one unearned run without giving up a hit. Connor Iverson worked the final three innings, allowing one run on four hits with two walks and one strikeout. Wright earned the win for Miesville, throwing six scoreless innings with two hits allowed, three walks and five strikeouts. Ritzer finished the final three innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. With the loss, Hastings finished the week 4-5 overall.
Hastings will return home to face the Minneapolis Cobras on Wednesday, June 3 at 7:30 p.m., then host Dundas on Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Lakeville on Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. The Hawks will travel to Northfield on Wednesday, June 10 at 7:30 p.m., then play at Red Wing on Friday, June 12 at 7:30 p.m.