The Hastings Hawks had a two-game week, both of which ended up in extra innings, completing the week at 9-13 overall and 4-6 in section play. The Hawks dealt the Red Wing Aces an 8-7 loss on July 9 and Northfield Knights rallied late to take down the Hawks 8-7 on June 11 in league play. Details of the game in Northfield were not available at press time, but the exciting finish against the Aces was.
As of July 12, the Hastings Hawks were in a three-way tie for fourth place with Miesville and New Market, both of which the Hawks had the tiebreaker with. No matter what, Miesville was going to temporarily break out of the three-way tie when they played Elko on July 13. Unfortunately for Hawks, the Mudhens pulled another comeback out of nowhere, tying their game in the eighth and winning it in extra innings to take sole possession of fourth place for the time being.
The Hawks finally ended a tough day in the field with a resilient, extra inning win over the visiting Red Wing Aces, 8 to 7, Wednesday night, July 9, at Veterans Park. It was a contest that tested nerves, patience and focus, but it ended with celebration and one player, Jason Greeder, finding redemption in dramatic fashion.
The Hawks jumped on the board early, manufacturing two runs in the bottom of the first inning. After Nick Brandt drew a walk to kick things off, Max Kaplan punched a single through the left side, driving in Brandt. Then Evan Khrin followed with another sharp hit to bring in Kaplan, making it 2 to 0.
As the innings went on, that early offensive rhythm was overshadowed by defensive missteps. Three errors were charged to Jason Greeder, including a throwing mishandle and two misplays on routine balls. It was a rough stretch that turned what could have been a clean win into a grind.
The Aces didn’t do anything fancy. They hung around. Cooper Chandler, their starter, gave up five runs in three innings but didn’t completely collapse. Red Wing’s bullpen kept the game close, and when the Hawks left runners stranded, the Aces made them pay.
In the top of the seventh, Red Wing erupted for six runs. A dropped throw, a misfielded grounder and a wild pitch opened the door. It wasn’t just the Hawks helping them along, though. Reese Trip launched a solo homer, Dixon Irwin added a two RBI single, and suddenly the Aces had gone from shut out to in front, 6 to 5.
Jason Greeder’s third error of the game helped extend that inning, putting extra stress on the pitching staff. What looked like a comfortable lead quickly turned into a scramble.
The Hawks didn’t fold. They answered back with a run in the sixth to tie it, then clawed their way back into the game in the ninth. Still, every step forward was met with resistance. Red Wing added one more in the top of the ninth to make it 7 to 6.
By then, Hastings had already used Reece Cox for six strong innings. Cooper Desutter took over but was tagged for six hits and a run. Dennis Reinhart came in to settle things down and gave the Hawks the chance to win it late.
In the bottom of the ninth, they got it done. Kelin Rasmussen walked. Mitch Iliff, who had reached base all four times without an official at bat, moved him over. Brandt dropped a sacrifice fly. Khrin stepped in again and drove in his third RBI of the night. The game was tied, 7 to 7.
Then came the top of the tenth. Reinhart kept Red Wing off the board. No hits, no walks, just three outs. The pressure shifted.
And then it all came back to Jason Greeder.
After a game filled with errors and tough moments, Greeder came to the plate with the winning run in scoring position. No need for fireworks, just contact. He delivered. A sharp single through the left side brought home the run. The Hawks stormed the field. Final score, 8 to 7.
It wasn’t just Greeder who made the win possible. Khrin went 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Kaplan added two hits and scored twice. Brandt reached base four times and drove in a run. Rasmussen walked twice and scored twice. Even Jack Seleski came off the bench and added a key single late.
Cox set the tone early, allowing just three hits and no earned runs over six innings. He walked one and struck out four. Reinhart closed it down with 2 and a third innings of work, allowing just two hits and striking out two. Desutter struggled in the middle but limited the damage enough to keep it close.
Defensively, it was a different story. Three errors, all by Greeder, nearly sunk the effort. But they didn’t. Instead, the team rallied, stayed focused and kept grinding and they picked up their teammate.
It’s also worth noting that Christian Koehler, the Aces infielder, was charged with a costly error in the middle innings that helped extend a Hawks rally. It wasn’t just one side having issues in the field, but Hastings had to overcome more.
Final stats show the Hawks out-hit the Aces 9 to 8, left 10 runners on base, and were hit by pitch three times, a strange hat trick that belongs to Iliff. Red Wing committed only one error, but Hastings made the most of their chances when it mattered.
This win doesn’t erase the defensive issues, but it does show what kind of grit this team has. After blowing a five-run lead, they stayed locked in and found a way to finish. For Greeder, the game could have easily gone down as a disaster. Instead, it turned into a story of persistence and payoff.
When the Hawks step onto the field next, they’ll bring with them more than a win. They’ll bring belief that no matter how bad one inning goes, the next at bat can change everything. That’s what this game was. Messy, flawed, tense, but full of resolve. And at the center of it was a player who shook off every mistake and ended it with the cleanest swing of the night.
No headlines are needed for a night like that. Just the score, the celebration, and the quiet truth of how baseball works. One bad inning doesn’t end a game. One good swing can.
Hastings has three straight section games coming up. The first two games will be at Veterans Park, with Elko coming to town on July 16 at 7:30 p.m. Then as part of July 18 Rivertown Days doubleheader with the Hastings Hurricanes 35 plus team kicking off the Friday night festivities at 5:00 p.m. The Hawks take the field at 8:00 p.m. against the Rochester Royals. Finally, the boys travel to New Market on July 19, for a 2:00 p.m. matinee game. After three section games, they hope to be in the top four of the section to earn a first-round playoff bye.