With thunderstorms in the forecast, fireworks were postponed for Friday’s annual Independence Day border battle between the Breckenridge and Wahpeton American Legion Baseball teams.
No worries, Aiden Hajek brought plenty of ammunition on the bump, blanking Breckenridge in a no-hitter as Post 20 claimed a 4-0 win at John Randall Field.
The righty needed just 83 pitches to earn a complete-game victory, striking out nine batters along the way. Hajek only allowed two base runners via walk and hit-by-pitch, capping his marvelous gem by picking off a runner at first to end the contest.
Hajek improved his record to 3-0 as Wahpeton climbed to 9-9. The staff ace holds a sparkling 1.79 earned run average across 27 ⅓ innings pitched, holding opponents to a .182 batting average this summer.
Friday’s home triumph snapped Wahpeton’s six-game skid.
Offensively, Eli Kappes stepped up with a pair of runs batted in. The designated hitter went 2-for-2 with a pair of run-scoring singles.
Matt Petersen also posted a two-hit game, Carter Hockert supplied an RBI squeeze bunt and the duo of Brayden Steffens and Riley Jones each singled.
Six different Wahpeton batters were beaned by a pitch.
Breckenridge saw its highlights come from the arm of Jaxson Riggs. The flamethrowing catcher caught three runners stealing. Riggs threw a missile to second base and Gavin Hoffert applied the tag, hanging on while somersaulting over the runner.
Trey Vogelbacher took the loss for Post 53. The righty ace tossed 3 ⅓ innings of four-hit baseball, allowing four earned runs. He issued a walk and struck out three.
Riley Kappes pitched 2 ⅔ scoreless frames in relief. Kappes scattered three hits and recorded a strikeout. He did not issue a walk.
Kappes whittled his season ERA down to 1.88 across 22 ⅓ innings.
Breckenridge fell to 5-8 with the loss, extending its losing streak to four games.
