The Hastings Hawks launched their 2025 baseball campaign with back-to-back games on May 10 and 11, kicking things off in emphatic fashion before falling just short in a hard-fought league opener. Saturday’s 12-2 win over the Ellsworth Hubbers served as a season tune-up and home opener at Veterans Park, while Sunday’s contest against the Northfield Knights, a 5-4 loss, marked the first Classic Cannon Valley League and Section 1A game of the season.

The Hawks battled the Knights for ten innings on May 11, ultimately falling 5–4 in their league and section opener. Despite taking the lead in the middle innings and getting strong performances from several players, Hastings couldn’t hold off a late push from Northfield, who tied it in the ninth and scored the game-winner in the tenth.

Northfield struck first with two runs in the top of the first, but Hastings answered in the second. They added two more runs in the fifth to go up 4–2, powered by hits from Jake Sandquist and Evan Krhin, who drove in two runs on the day. Taylor Pagel also added a hit and scored.

Jason Greeder and Jack Seleski each stole a base, while Ben Bundschu delivered a pinch-hit double off the bench. On the mound, Jordan Jeske set the tone with seven solid innings, allowing two runs and striking out seven. Dennis Reinhart and Kelin Rasmussen handled relief duties, and Ben Teigland finished the game in the tenth.

Still, the Hawks left 13 runners on base and committed three errors, allowing Northfield to hang around. The Knights tied the game with two runs in the ninth and pushed across the decisive run in the tenth.

Despite the loss, Matson and the team remain optimistic, seeing both games as opportunities to evaluate the roster and build chemistry.

“It was good having a lot of new guys in here,” Bundschu said. “Everyone came together. We kept the energy up, which is always key. We’ll learn from this one and move forward.”

The Hawks will be back in action at home on Saturday, May 17 at Veterans Park with a 2:00 p.m. first pitch against the Stewartville / Racine Sharks.