June 26 at Highland Prairie
Apple Jacks win 2 with surefire hitting
It wasn’t thundering Sunday on the grounds of the Highland Prairie Lutheran Church near Peterson, MN, but the bats of the Apple Jacks Base Ball Club of La Crescent produced a tempest of hits to rival any storm. The Jacks outlasted the H.P. Hayseeds 12-7 and the Lanesboro Excelsiors 22-2 under a cloudless sky and a loyal cohort of spectators.
Sunday was the first time this season that the Jacks hitting was a solid match for their defensive play. Coincidentally, it was the first time that a female player was in the Jacks’ regular lineup. Mandy “Mad Woman” Pericak added some verve and proved a gem at bat with 3 solid hits in the first game and 2 more hits plus 2 aces in the second.
In the first game, the Jacks put together 12 aces (runs) on 23 hits compared to the 12 hits and 7 aces of the Hayseeds. The Jacks engineered two industrious innings of 4 or more hits to soundly defeat the host team. Six of the Jacks had 3 hits, while Jason “Weasel” Pericak and Erik “Stretch” Deetz scored 3 aces each.
The first game proved to be practice compared to the efforts displayed in the second match. Admittedly, the Excelsiors lacked seasoned players, which put them at a disadvantage against the surging Apple Jacks. “Weasel” Pericak and Samuel “Roundabout” Deetz each had 5 hits with both Deetz and Jim “Scoop” Schupbach scoring 4 aces.
“Weasel” deserved accolades for his hitting, especially the ones that stunned spectators. The day’s most astonishing play occurred when Pericak hit a ball that was clearly a home run, but the ball hit a tree and bounced squarely back into play. A few innings later, spectators had reason to sigh when Pericak’s fly ball did it again.
The Apple Jacks count the Highland Prairie location as one of their favorites, particularly due to the expansive grass field and the unmatched hospitality of the church congregation, who served a sumptuous lunch for the players.
