Edwards’ perfect game propels JIH in sweep

*This story was featured in the Hastings Tribune on June 14, 2016. 

HASTINGS — On perhaps the warmest day of the year thus far with temperatures nearing 100 degrees at game time, it was Cameron Edwards who was hot.

The righty pitcher for Jackson Imperial Homes threw a complete-game, five-inning, perfect game in a 9-0 victory over the Norfolk Daily News Junior A’s. Edwards had command of his pitches early and was dominant throughout.

“He (Cameron Edwards) threw a great game. Actually, a perfect game,” Hastings coach Blake Marquardt said. “He located and dominated with his fastball. He jams a lot of hitters and later in counts he’s able to throw strikes. We kept them off balance.”

While Edwards went unscathed for the entirety of the game, he was especially dominant in a stretch that started in the second inning and ended in the third. Edwards struck out four consecutive batters during that stretch, in what would be an eight-strikeout day.

Although Edwards needed little assistance from the Hastings lineup, he received it anyway. Hastings pushed across a run in the top of the second inning after a scoreless first inning, thanks to two hit batsmen and an infield single. Daniel Opperman scored on a double-steal attempt and Hastings took a 1-0 lead.

That speed on the base paths, coupled with the amount of walks and hit batsman Hastings tallied, allowed them to stay aggressive once they got men on base.

“Well, we anticipated being aggressive on the base paths,” Marquardt said. “If they aren’t going to hold our runners we’re going to be aggressive.”

Hastings scored another run in the third inning, in what was a prelude for a monster fourth inning. Triggered by one walk, a hit batsman and two more walks, Hastings tallied six runs in the top of the fourth. Hastings batted around the batting order and Mike Shaw capped the offensive explosion with a two RBI single.

On the day, Hastings tallied seven total hits, drew four walks and were hit at the plate seven different times.

Ashten Valentine and Michael Shaw led the way at the plate for Hastings, finishing with two hits, two runs, two RBIs and two walks between the pair.

Game 2

Pitching in the second game of a doubleheader when the pitcher in game one threw a perfect game is a tough act to follow. With that being said, JIP’s Tyson Gatto and Tyson Bonham did just that.

The pair pitched a strong seven innings and combined to allow just one run and four hits in a 7-1 victory to sweep Norfolk.

The strong pitching effort between the Edwards, Gatto and Bonham speaks to the depth of the rotation for Hastings this year.

“We’re very deep on the mound. Tyson Gatto is one of our top three or four pitchers. Tonight, I don’t believe he had his best stuff, but he only gave up one run, so it was a good game for him,” Marquardt said. “Then we brought in Tyson Bonham and we’re starting to look at him in the closing role. We have quality starts and we’re going to be that this year.”

Both teams started out slow, before Hastings broke open the game with a three-run second inning. During that inning Hastings tallied four hits in total and three in a row. Those three hits included RBI singles from Logan Noroby and Brian Warrick.

That stretch allowed Hastings to take control of the game and put pressure on the Norfolk defense.

“Our guys came in with a couple big hits in a row and drove in some RBIs. It changes the atmosphere of the game at that point,” Marquardt said. “It made them play a little more tense on the field.”

After allowing zero runs through three innings, Gatto found himself in a bit of a jam in the top of the fourth. He walked two batters and gave up an RBI single to Dylan Rodgers that allowed Norfolk to get on the board.

But after settling down, he forced both a fly out and groundout and go out of the inning with only one run of damage. Norfolk left the bases loaded in that inning.

Hastings added their final two runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth after two straight walks to begin the inning. With two runners on, Dylan Glaser drilled a two-RBI double down the right field line to extend the lead to 7-1.

Bonham pitched the final two innings and earned the save.

This set of wins is something Coach Marquardt hopes can propel the team through its next stretch of games.

“The loss to Kearney last night was a tough one and today, we came back and rebounded well,” he said. “Hopefully we can keep coming back and doing what we need to do.”

Making another memory at Duncan Field

*This was a feature story published in the June 4th edition of the Hastings Tribune. 

Shimmering light on near flawless grass. The Jericho-like, red brick wall stretching to 408 feet in dead centerfield. And the rumbling of a locomotive on a nearby train track.

These are all sights and sounds associated with Hastings’ historic Duncan Field.

While the confines of Duncan Field have housed baseball greats and Legion baseball regional finals, it’s so much more than that.

It’s also a place that holds a special place in so many hearts.

Ron Koch, who attended Wednesday’s Legion baseball game at Duncan Field during Senior Night, is one of them.

Koch, 61, of Hastings vividly remem- bers a number of fond memories asso- ciated with Duncan Field as both a child, teenager and now as an adult.

“There are a lot of memories here,” he said. “I remember as a little leaguer just roaming around, watching and talking to players. There’s just some- thing special here.”

Koch was a self-proclaimed, rebel knuckleballer, who played both pitcher and catcher for the Hastings Braves and Chiefs teams during the 1970, 1971 and 1972 seasons.

Unlike today’s game, Koch played during the wooden bat era and credited that, in part, to his success on the mound.

“I’m sort of glad we didn’t play with these (aluminum) bats,” he laughed. “That probably helped me out a little.”

Koch especially enjoyed playing in night games at Duncan Field, describing them as “something special.” He recalled the uniqueness of the atmosphere and, specifically, how neat it was to play under the lights during night games.Koch also pointed out that there used to be a “girlfriend” or “cheer- leader” section of the bleachers during his playing days.

He said the most important games he played at Duncan Field came during the 1972 season in which Hastings hosted the regionals.

Despite going 0-2, he was adamant that they “didn’t lose by that much.”

“They were both close,” he said.

After that 1972 summer season Koch traded in his summers of fun and base- ball for a job at Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co., where he worked for 40 years before retirement.

Soon after the end of his Legion career he was itching to get back on the field, and joined a men’s fast-pitch softball team. Men’s fast-pitch softball turned out to be a competitive outletfor Koch, and he went on to play for 25 years.

Although his Legion baseball playing days were over, he was still able to form memories at Duncan Field watch- ing his son, Charlie, who played for the Hastings Chiefs Legion team from 2000-2004, and coached from 2005- 2009.

Fast forward to Wednesday’s game between Five Points Bank and Norfolk.

Before a batter stepped into the box or the ping of an aluminum bat, yet another memory was made for Koch at Duncan Field.

This time, it came in the form of a ceremonial first pitch.

On this picture-perfect evening, Koch revisited the mound for the first time in some time. Dawning a navy blue Hastings Baseball T-shirt and sun- glasses, Koch wound up and tossed a pitch right into the mitt.

“I just didn’t want to get booed off the mound,” he said afterward. “I didn’t want to take a chance.”

Papillion outlasts Pius; set for finals

* This is a game recap from the June 28 Papillion La Vista – Lincoln Pius American Legion Baseball game at Duncan Field in Hastings, NE. This recap was featured in the June 29th edition of the Hastings Tribune.

The Associated Fire Titans American Legion baseball team overcame seven errors to hold on and beat Union Bank 7-6 Tuesday night in the Class A state legion baseball tournament at Duncan Field.

With the victory, Associated Fire (Papillion-La Vista South) advances to the American Division title game Wednesday against the 52’s Patriots (Millard South).

The first game begins at 4 p.m. at Duncan Field. A second game will fol- low, but only if the 52’s Patriots win game one.

Against Union Bank (Lincoln Pius X), Aaron Palensky led Association Fire with three hits on four plate appearances, while scoring two runs and driving in another.

“He’s pretty impressive for a sophomore, and he’s played that way the whole season,” Associated Fire head coach Bill Lynam said. “He’s just a real good baseball player.”

Union Bank struck first after a Nolan Hakel single, followed by a sacrifice bunt and an error by Papillion-La Vista South’s Adam Gadsden.

In the bottom of the third inning, Gadsden drew a walk and was driven home on a Palensky triple. Palnesky then scored on the next at-bat and Association Fire took a 2-1 lead.

Union Bank responded in the top of the fourth after Micah Hoage singled to left field. Union Bank drew a walk in two of three at-bats, and Hoage scored after another defensive error to tie the game at two.

Despite the slow start for Associated Fire relief pitcher Dakota Smith, which included allowing a leadoff single to Union Bank’s Colton Abendroth and two runs in the fifth inning, he found his stride and went on to pick up the win.

Pius extended its lead to three in the top of the sixth, thanks to an error, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly. Associated Fire answered and trimmed Union Bank’s lead to two in the bottom of the sixth, thanks to a Brandon Krayneski double and sacrifice fly from Quintin Van Ackeren.

After a pitching change in the seventh inning, Associated Fire found its rhythm at the plate and went on to add three runs in the bottom of the sev- enth.

“We were just happy to see a new pitcher in there,” Lynam said. “We didn’t try to do anything differently (at the plate). Just keep with the game plan, swing at strikes and hit the ball in play.”

That three-run inning, along with clutch pitching late in the game, was a pivotal part of the comeback victory, he said.

“We were able to come back and beat a really good baseball team in Pius. That says what kind of character we have and what kind of baseball we can play,” Lynam said. “I told them, ‘they’re growing up in front of our eyes this season.’”

Union Bank led a late chargein the top of the ninth, thanks to a Nolan Meyer single and back-to-back errors from Associated Fire. Despite those two errors, Jack Driscoll held on for the save.

Regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s game, Lynam felt good about where his team had positioned itself by being theonly unbeaten team so far in the double-elimination tournament.

“If we lost, we had the opportunity to scout and the other teams would have to play. On the other side of the coin, Millard South has to beat us twice,” he said. “We were in a good position and we earned that by playing good baseball.”