Hastings closed out its softball season last week with two high scoring games, including a Section 3AAAA play in matchup against Burnsville. The Raiders fell to Simley 14-10 on Thursday, May 14, then dropped a 10-3 decision to Burnsville on Friday, May 15 in the Section 3AAAA tournament play in game. Hastings finished the season with an 8-13 overall record after the two losses.
The week opened Thursday afternoon when Hastings hosted Simley in a game that quickly turned into an offensive battle. Simley grabbed the first run of the game in the opening inning after Charlie Raymond walked, stole two bases, and later scored on a ground out. Hastings answered right away in the bottom half when Leighton Robinson doubled to right field and later scored on Delaney Solberg’s sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1.
Simley regained control in the second inning with two more runs. Singles from Simley’s lineup helped build a 3-1 lead before the Raiders answered again. Lilah Gessner started the Hastings rally with a single, then Evelynn Duffy reached on an error that allowed Gessner to score. Robinson followed with an RBI single to center field, tying the game again at 3-3 after two innings.
The Raiders and Spartans traded scoreless innings in the third before Simley took advantage of defensive miscues in the fourth. Two runners reached base before a fly ball turned into a three run error, allowing Simley to move ahead 6-3. Hastings had a chance to respond in the bottom half after Robinson worked a walk, but the Raiders stranded the runner.
Simley continued to pressure Hastings in the fifth inning. Amelia Campbell tripled to right field to begin the inning and later scored on a passed ball. Another Raider error helped extend the inning, and Simley eventually pushed its lead to 9-3. Hastings showed resilience in the bottom half with one of its best offensive stretches of the game. Ella Hauschildt and Lily Watts opened the inning with singles, and Gessner followed with a two run single to right. Brooke Meyers later added an RBI single to center field, cutting the deficit to 9-6.
The sixth inning proved decisive. Simley strung together several hits and took advantage of more Hastings defensive errors to score four additional runs. Charlie Raymond added an RBI during the inning as the Spartans built a 13-6 advantage. Hastings scratched out another run in the bottom half after Hauschildt walked and eventually scored on a passed ball.
Simley added one more insurance run in the seventh inning after another Raider error allowed a runner to score. Hastings still battled in its final at bats. Jordan Leos opened the inning with a double to left field and later scored on a sacrifice bunt by Duffy. Robinson added an RBI single, and Solberg reached on an error that brought another run home. Hauschildt later singled home the Raiders’ final run before the comeback ended with a fly out to center.
Even in the loss, Hastings collected 12 hits and showed consistent production throughout the lineup. Robinson led the Raiders with three hits, including a first inning double, while also driving in runs and scoring multiple times. Gessner finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and both Hauschildt and Watts added multiple hits. Leos doubled in the seventh inning, and Meyers added an RBI single during the fifth inning rally.
Braaten started in the circle for Hastings and took the loss after working four innings. She struck out three batters while allowing six hits. Robinson pitched in relief over the final three innings. Hastings also turned a double play late in the game, with Addy Strand and Ella Carlson combining on the defensive stop in the seventh inning.
The 14-10 final marked one of the Raiders’ highest scoring games of the season, but six defensive errors proved costly against a Simley team that capitalized on nearly every opportunity.
Hastings returned to action Friday afternoon for the Section 3AAAA play in round against Burnsville. With nine teams in the section, the eighth seeded Blaze hosted the ninth seeded Raiders with a spot in the main section bracket on the line.
Burnsville took control early behind strong pitching from Emma Debilzan and timely hitting throughout the lineup.
The Blaze opened the game with two runs in the first inning. Megan Watson doubled to left field and later scored on a ground out by Brooke Gerber. Another Burnsville single brought home a second run for the early 2-0 lead. Debilzan then retired the Raiders in order in the top of the first, striking out all three Hastings batters she faced.
Burnsville extended its lead in the second inning after an error allowed a runner to reach base. Another Raider error later in the inning brought home a run, giving Burnsville a 4-0 advantage. Hastings struggled offensively through the first three innings as Debilzan mixed strikeouts with solid defensive support behind her.
The Raiders finally broke through in the fourth inning. Solberg reached on an outfield error and moved into scoring position after a stolen base. Later in the inning, Carlson hit a fly ball that was misplayed in right field, allowing Solberg to score and cut the Burnsville lead to 4-1.
Hastings put together its best rally of the day in the fifth inning. Khloe Anselment opened the inning with a single, followed by another hit from Duffy. Leos then delivered the biggest swing for the Raiders, driving a double to center field that scored both runners and trimmed the deficit to 4-3. Robinson followed with a bunt single to put two runners on base, but Burnsville escaped further damage with a pair of outs to end the threat.
The game changed quickly in the bottom of the fifth inning when Burnsville exploded for six runs. Brooke Gerber opened the inning with a single, and the Blaze continued to apply pressure with walks and aggressive baserunning. Katherine Neitzel singled home one run, Payton Medeiros added another RBI single, and Watson drove in two more runs with a hit to right field. Debilzan capped the inning with a two run double to left, stretching Burnsville’s lead to 10-3.
Hastings threatened briefly in the sixth inning after Gessner reached on an error and moved into scoring position, but Debilzan recorded two strikeouts to strand the runner. Robinson pitched a clean sixth inning for Hastings with two strikeouts, giving the Raiders a chance heading into their final at bats.
In the seventh inning, Leos flew out to center field before Robinson grounded out and Solberg lifted a fly ball to right to end the game and the Raiders’ season.
Duffy led Hastings offensively with two hits in three at bats. Leos drove in two runs with her fifth inning double, while Robinson, Anselment, and Duffy each added hits during the rally. The Raiders finished with five hits and committed three errors defensively.
Braaten started the game in the circle and took the loss after allowing four runs, though none were earned because of defensive miscues behind her. Robinson pitched in relief and struck out several Burnsville hitters over the final innings. Burnsville finished with 11 hits, led by Gerber’s three hit performance.
The 10-3 loss officially closed the season for Hastings, which finished with an 8-13 overall record. Despite the difficult finish, the Raiders continued to compete offensively throughout the final week, scoring 13 combined runs across the two games while collecting 17 total hits. Robinson, Leos, Gessner, Duffy, Watts, and Hauschildt all contributed key hits during the final stretch of the season as Hastings battled through two challenging conference and postseason matchups.