Coming into this past weekend, the Hastings Hurricanes 35-plus Baseball Team knew that their games on Friday and Saturday would give them as close to a real-life simulation to life in the AAA State Tournament, as possible. Not only did they play back-to-back games in back-to-back days, but both were likely against two teams that will also be making their way into the AAA bracket in just over a week.
First, it was the Lakeville Lobos on Friday to open the River Rumble, the only Team to beat the Hurricanes this season. Saturday, it was a road trip to New Market, the team that eliminated them from the AAA Tournament in their first season in 2024.
Friday was everything one could expect at Vets Park on a festive Rivertown Days Weekend. A big crowd, a huge rivalry, Hastings Community Television on site for the broadcast, and PURPLE. Everywhere. They may be the "older" guys, but their following is far from it. From kids to friends and family, and every demographic in between, the early crowd was ready for their Hurricanes.
The night started with Jason Swanson of Hidden Greens Golf Course throwing out the first pitch, as a nod to one of their big local sponsors, but the Hurricanes didn't quite "tee off" until later in the game. Lakeville took an early 1-0 lead as Brett Larsen scored on a bases loaded walk off the usually walk-free Tony Kaiser in the second, but a line out to Hastings third baseman David Fransen turned into a double play to end any further damage.
The score remained 1-0 until the fifth, with Kaiser and Lakeville Ace Jamie Steinberg locking horns past the halfway point of the game. In the bottom of the inning, everything came together at the plate. After his hot glove made play after play early, Fransen delivered not only the hit to start the fifth, but another later in the inning, with the Canes scoring seven runs on seven hits off of the future Federal League Hall of Famer.
Jordy Horsch, Nate Otto, Fransen, and Andy Otto all had huge RBI's in the inning, taking a 7-1 lead into the sixth. Lakeville (13-4 overall) came back with one in the sixth, a mammoth solo home run from former Minor Leaguer Matt Meyer, to make it 7-2, but that was all that the Lobos could muster off the Veteran Lefty Kaiser, with Hastings (14-1 overall) beating Lakeville for the first time in two years, 7-2.
"Man, that feels so good! I can't say anything else," Manager Nick Tuckner exclaimed after the win. "We haven't won against these guys before, and admittedly there has been some bad blood between us, and it was a statement to the league that we CAN beat the "Mount Fed" teams (the perennial powers), and that we also deserve a top seed in the AAA Bracket. We still have another one tomorrow (Saturday's game at New Market), and hopefully we have enough in the tank after this win. No hangovers. No letdown."
Saturday was just as important, if not even more so, as a win at New Market (10-3 overall) would give the Hurricanes their second Division Title in as many years of existence, and likely a very high seed in the upcoming AAA Tournament.
The Hurricanes sent Ace Derrick Pfeffer to the mound for the "next" most important game of the season, and it was a duel between he and Northerns hard-throwing Right-hander Scott Lyden.
Tuckner noted before the game during pre-game, "If anybody is getting the ball in the most important game of our season, it's going to be Derrick Pfeffer. We're going to give him the ball, knowing he isn't giving it back to me until we win this thing."
The two righties battled through three scoreless innings, before each team clawed a run across, to make the score 1-1 after four. New Market scratched two across in the fifth on a couple uncharacteristic Hastings errors and a sacrifice fly, but limited the damage to two, and a 3-1 deficit. But in the sixth, it was another big inning, led off by Steve Bahl's single, and immediately another by Birthday Boy Alex Harrington. Daniel Castillo promptly singled to score Bahl, and the inning started to unravel for the Fish. Dan Kieffer walked after a tremendous at-bat, followed by Mark Hoiland's biggest hit of the season, a two-RBI single smoked to right center, putting Hastings up for good at 5-3. Pfeffer did the rest with his arm, putting the team on his back over the final two innings, with help from some dazzling Hurricanes defense, to hang on, and win 5-3.
Pfeffer told the Journal, "The defense saved me, and our offense bailed me out. It was tough to have confidence pitching to the New Market team because they are a very good hitting team and made me work for every out. It was comforting knowing when I made a mistake that my defense was there to pick me up. Full team effort for the win.”
With the weekend sweep, the Hurricanes (15-1 overall) locked up their second straight Division Championship in the teams two years of existence. The regular season isn't quite over, but might just be as you read this, as the Hurricanes close the season with a midweek doubleheader at Lonsdale, Wednesday, 6 and 8 p.m.
Playoffs begin the first weekend in August. More to come.