The Hastings Hawks entered the week at 0-1 and quickly changed the tone of their early season, winning four straight home games from May 15 through May 22. Hastings beat the Rochester Roadrunners 17-0 on May 15 at 7:30 p.m., followed with an 11-5 win over the Cokato Kernels on May 16 at 2 p.m., then added a 7-4 win over the River Falls Fighting Fish on May 20 at 7:30 p.m. and a 15-10 win over the New Market Muskies on May 22 at 7:30 p.m. The Hawks scored 50 runs over the four games and used both big innings and strong relief pitching to turn a slow start to the season into a 4-1 record.
Hastings opened the week with its cleanest all-around game, beating Rochester 17-0 in seven innings. The Hawks scored four runs in the first inning and one more in the second, then added two in the fourth, six in the fifth and four in the sixth. Rochester was held scoreless in every inning and finished with four hits.
The Hawks finished with 14 hits and 10 walks. Jackson Schaffer went 4-for-4 with a double, a triple, four runs scored and one RBI. Jack Seleski went 2-for-2 with a double, a home run, five runs scored and three RBIs. Evan Khrin went 2-for-3 with four RBIs, and Jason Greeder added two hits. Nolan Drossel drove in two runs and scored three times, while Bennett Brathol and Cory Wolters each drove in two.
Reece Cox earned the win for Hastings, throwing three scoreless innings with one hit allowed, one walk and six strikeouts. Connor Iverson followed with three scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out three. Brathol worked the final inning, walking two and striking out two. Isaac Jahns took the loss for Rochester.
Hastings followed that with an 11-5 win over Cokato one day later. Cokato scored three runs in the first inning and two in the second to take an early 5-2 lead, but the Hawks did not allow another run. Hastings scored two in the first, two in the third, three in the fourth and four in the sixth to take control.
Ben Teigland earned the win, throwing five innings for Hastings. He allowed five runs on eight hits and three walks, with one strikeout. Gavin Odman then gave the Hawks two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. Seleski closed the game with two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out three.
Nolan Drossel led the offense, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and four runs scored. Kelin Rasmussen went 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs and one RBI. Jason Greeder had two hits and one RBI. Seleski drove in two runs, Brathol had a double and two RBIs, and Cory Wolters added a hit and an RBI. Hastings finished with 13 hits, and Jackson Schrupp took the loss for Cokato.
The Hawks returned to action May 20 and beat River Falls 7-4. Hastings scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the fourth, building a 4-0 lead. River Falls tied the game with four runs in the sixth, but the Hawks answered with one run in the bottom of the sixth and two more in the seventh.
Gavin Odman earned the win, giving Hastings six innings on the mound. He allowed four runs, only one earned, on three hits and one walk, with three strikeouts. Dennis Reinhart worked two scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out two. Brathol earned the save with a scoreless ninth, walking two and striking out two.
Johnny Teigland had the biggest swing for Hastings, hitting a home run and driving in two runs. Jason Greeder also drove in two. Dylan Larson went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Kelin Rasmussen doubled and scored twice. Seleski and Cade Kimmes also doubled. Austin Curti took the loss for River Falls.
Hastings closed the week May 22 with a 15-10 win over New Market in the highest-scoring game of the stretch. New Market scored two runs in the third and two in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead, but Hastings broke the game open with nine runs in the fifth. The Hawks added four more in the sixth. New Market kept battling with two runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and three in the ninth, but Hastings had enough offense to finish the win.
Nick Brandt led the Hawks, going 2-for-5 with a home run and five RBIs. Nolan Drossel went 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs. Kelin Rasmussen went 3-for-6 with two runs and one RBI. Jack Seleski had two hits and scored once, while Griffin DiTeodoro had two hits, two runs and one RBI. Cade Kimmes drove in two runs, Cooper Desutter drove in one and Dylan Larson scored twice.
Connor Iverson earned the win in relief for Hastings. Reece Cox started and allowed two runs on four hits over three innings, with three walks and three strikeouts. Iverson allowed four runs in 2⅔ innings, Dennis Reinhart recorded one out, Vinnie Wodele worked one inning and Seleski finished with two innings, allowing three runs and striking out four. Lincoln Berry took the loss for New Market.
The 4-0 week moved Hastings to 4-1 overall. The Hawks will host the NSP Snowmen on May 27 at 7:30 p.m., travel to Dundas on May 29 at 7:30 p.m., return home to face Miesville on May 31 at 2 p.m., host the Minneapolis Cobras on June 3 at 7:30 p.m. and host Dundas on June 5 at 7:30 p.m.