Nite Hawks
Field
Nite Hawks In The News . . .
07 - 31 - 2011 Nite Hawks knocked the dust out of the ODB's
"Hot and Nasty" and I'm not just talking the weather! It only took 6.5 innings to finish off the Omaha Dirt Bags with the 10 in 7 rule kicking in. Omaha managed just 2 runs in the 6 inning and brought 3 errors along with the three runs. Slater set 2 pitchers to the mound, but only needed about 82 pitches to get the job done. Slater scored 4 in the 1st. 3 in the Second and 6 in the 4th. But it wasn't just the bats working, there was some awesome dives and catches in the outfield, with smart play from the outfield to the infield. Speaking of infield, Westphalia's infield is dirt and it made for some balls moving through the diamond pretty quickly, but the Slater boys sucked them up like a hoover with only 1 man advancing on a throwing error. All in all, a great win that moves them on to round two with a score of 13 - 2 Come on and support the S.N.H.s on Saturday August 6 @ 3:30pm in Westphalia (Its's a measly 2 hours from Slater)
05 - 05 - 2011 Bat's - a - Sizzlin'
Ernie Banks was famous for saying "It's a beautiful day for baseball, let's play two!" and I don't think the Nite Hawks would ever disagree after the Sunday Double header.
Game one started with a long jack to right center field in the first inning and the Hawks never looked back from there. Very timely pitching was also the word of the day with the Valley Junction Cubs try to work themselves back into the game, but just as one pitcher was running out of gas, managment inserted a new hurler to finish the game.
Our starter went five innings, which is great considering he's a reliever by trade. Do we have a new "inning eater" on our hands? Slater won game one 9 - 6
Sunday was also "Little League Night" so the intermission was filled with youngsters getting photos, running the pads and 1 serious spinning experience. Hot Dogs and soda were free to the kids and parents paid that added$125.00 to the "Hawk's Pot" A total of $260.00 was raised over the course of the last three games. We are really trying to hit the $1500.00 mark for the season and with your help we will.
In game two the Hawks picked up right where they left off. Timely hitting, power pitching and some infield and outfield play that puts a few major league teams to shame. There were a few scares, but great relays from the outfield and no dumb errors put the S.N.H. in control early and they did not even allow the Cubs the joy of coming across home plate. Game two go's in the books as a Hawk win 6 - 0
Next game for Slater will be June 12 at 1:00pm against the D.M. Titans at Roosevelt H.S. Field. Let's start turning out for a few of these away games, show the guys some love and they will keep winning for you!
05 - 03 - 2011 Tough night for Hawks, as they fall to the Vikings 9 - 2
Hot and winds blowing out to right field were the order of the evening as Slater's record dropped to 3 - 2 early in the season. This reported figured that the Hawks wouldn't be throwing their best game since the vikings are outside of the Des Moines Semi-pro Baseball league, I was wrong with our starter going 5 inning, which might not sound like much until you realize he is a reliever by trade. (ed. note You will notice I don't give names to the players much. I am a purist and believe this teams "stands and falls together") Slater ran neck and neck with a 2 - 2 tie into the fifth when the wheels came off. The Vikes scored 4 in the fifth and 3 more over the last four innings. So it's a loss for your Hawks, but let's not forget the positives, the "D" was stellar!, no real dumb plays. The bottom line is the bats won it for the Carroll team. Simply put the better team won, but the amazing thing about this game we call baseball is the team that lost tonight can win against the same group of guys next week.
Join us for "Little League Night" Sunday June 5th at 5pm Help support the team by purchasing a "Hawk" dog and a pop for $2.00 ! if that's not youe thing, there is a wonderful assortment of goodies at the Slater pool next door.
Let's fill the stands Sunday for this Double Header against the Valley Junction Cubs
05 - 29 - 2011 Hawks split double header, improve to 3 - 1 on the season
Slater's winning streak is snapped at 3. The weather started out wet and cold in Coon Rapids and the game was delayed for about an hour. Our boys of summer played some of their best small ball so far in this early season, with a bunch of singles and some bloopers over the infielders head. Everyone agreed that it was pitching the won the first game though. You can really tell that our pitching staff is coming off a college season and the ball was really popping the catchers mitt. Defense looked smart in the fact that they ate a few instead of wild throws on base runners. Highlight of game 1 was bases loaded out to end the inning and a 3 strike out inning. Final 4 - 3
Game two was a little more painful with some sloppy defense, a few bad swings at the plate for outs and a run that was safe, called out resulting in an injury. It was neck and neck until around the 5th. when C.R.'s bats came alive. Slater just couldn't muster enough to come back. We did manage to get some sunshine in that second game though. I asked player/manager Brett Fuller, what he felt was most impressive about the season so far, he responded that he was really happy with the smart defense that the guys were playing, not a lot of stupid errors and that the pitching was way ahead of what he thought it would be for this part of the year. Game 2's final score 8 - 3 in favor of the Classics. Next game is Friday June 3rd. Bring your money because this will be your first chance to fund the Hawks with "Light Up The Night" each $5.00 donation will receive a very cool flashlight.
05 - 22 - 2011 Slater off to a great start.
The Slater Nite Hawks began the season on a great note defeating the Collins Clippers in both games of a double header in Slater. Game #1 was punctuated by some awesome pitching with many "K's" Hefty defense with several diving plays in the outfield and rock solid infield work. Slater pounded out a bunch of singles and a nice helping of doubles to beat the Clippers 9 - 4 in the seven inning game. Game #2 was a stalemate for the first 5 while both teams got their defensive acts together, The Clippers scored 1 then Slater knocked in 1 in the bottom half. The game remained tied and looked like we might go extra inning when Slater loaded the bases then “sky highed” a pop up down the 3rd base line (10 feet from the plate) that was dropped by the Clipper's pitcher for the second win of the night.
Slaters next game is on the road at Coon Rapids May 29 at 1:00pm The next home game is June 3rd. against the Carroll Vikings, 7:00pm start time.
04 - 09 - 2011 60 Attend the 2011 Slater Youth Baseball Clinic
The day started out cold, gray and damp, but by the time the 2011 Slater Youth Clinic started the sun was shining and a great breeze was blowing accross Nite Hawk Field. Youngesters from 8 to 14 got the chance to learn from a group of Slater player past and present and the finest local coaches. Everything from from hitting to batting, infield and outfield practice. If you didn't make this year plan on being there for 2012!
04 - 02 - 2011 Nite Hawks and the Southern Iowa Umpires Association Donate Baseball
to the Slater Historical Society
A baseball autographed by major leager Jerry McNertney found a new home today when the guys with the Southern Iowa Umpires Association and your Slater Nite Hawks. It joined a hollow spot on the shelf right next to Bob Fellar and Rodney Sutter. You can see some great Babseball history by visiting the Slater Area Historical Association in Slater.
03 - 13 - 2011 Probasco Named IIAC Pitcher of the Week
Buena Vista senior starting pitcher Luke Probasco has been recognized by the Iowa Conference by being named the league's Pitcher of the Week, for the period ending, March 13.
Probasco struck out eight over seven innings, allowing one hit and one walk in a 9-0 Beaver victory over Nebraska Wesleyan March 12. The eight strikeouts were a season-high for Probasco, who improves to 2-0 with an 0.69 ERA in 13 innings of work.
It marks the second time in his career that he's received the honor. He last earned the recognition on April 4, 2010
03 - 06 - 2011 Crandell named IIAC Player of the Week
Simpson outfielder Tyler Crandell (and one of the Nite Hawks finest) earned Iowa Conference Baseball Player of the Week honors for the period ending March 6, 2011.
Crandell, a sophomore from Ames, Iowa, hit .429 with six hits, six runs scored, a home run, and five RBI in 14 at-bats as the Storm opened the season with a 3-game sweep of University of the Ozarks. He had two hits in each game and led Simpson offensively in game two of the series, driving in five with a home run in a 9-6 victory.
10 - 23 - 2010 Help put Slater Nite Hawks Field to Bed
Join the Nite Hawks on Oct. 31 from 4pm to 7pm as they do some final field work to get ready for winter. This would be a wonderful chance to hang out with the Hawks, hear some stories of the 2010 season and have some sweaty fun. Bring a shovel a rake or whatever you have and meet at the park. The team will provide pizza, pop (for everyone) and beer (must be 21)
07-31-2010 Off To The IABA Playoffs!
After a Friday night rain that left the field unplayable the Hawks got playing on Saturday at 2pm. The Slater Nite Hawks were off to a rough start, with one error and one run through six innings of play. With the Albernett Astros leading 6 -1 About the time you might be thinking that the Hawks might have to move on through the "Loser's Bracket" the 7th. comes along. The Nite Hawks managed to bring 17 men to the plate and scored 15 runs!
In the bottom of the 7 the Astros managed to score one more run and the S.N.H. move on.
04-26-2010 Hawks Add Players
There will be quite a few new faces on the diamond for the Hawks this summer. The annual high school draft was held in Des Moines last week, and it turns out the boys from Slater faired pretty well. The following players were drafted/signed via free agency:
Andy Weiss - pitcher from Ames/DMACC
Mike Eckhart - outfielder from Boone/Minnesota State
Tyler Crandell - infielder from Ames/Simpson
Cris Ely - catcher from Boone/Wayne State
Dustin Breisel - pitcher/infielder from Newton/Marshalltown CC
Brett Swim - pitcher signed as a free agent
Andy Wolf - outfielder/infielder signed as a free agent
Michael Barta - infielder/pitcher signed as a free agent
Jesse Reis - infielder signed as a free agent
04-16-2010 Fundraisers a Success!
The two fundraisers the Nite Hawks put on during the offseason were once again very successful. On March 6, the Hawks put on a Texas Hold’em poker tournament, and had 35 people participate. On April 10, a youth baseball camp for area players was held at Nite Hawk Field. The camp featured participants from Ballard, North Polk, Madrid, and Collins-Maxwell. The money brought in from the fundraisers will be used to pay for team expenses during the 2010 season.
02-01-2010 2010 Slater Nite Hawk No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament
Saturday, March 6th @7:00 p.m.
Dean Fuller’s shop
16405 NE 68th Street Cambridge, Iowa 50046
$25 buy-in fee
$10 re-buys for the first hour
This event is a fundraiser for the 2010 Slater Nite Hawk Semi-Pro Baseball Club. In the tournament each player will buy in for twenty-five dollars, with ten dollars going towards the prize pot, and fifteen dollars going towards the Nite Hawk fund. The number of places paid will be determined when there is a better idea of how many players will be in attendance. The rules of the tournament will be announced before the start of the event. Tournament registration will start at 6:30 p.m. Please RSVP Brett Fuller at 515-205-0250 or at brfuller9(at)gmail.com. Feel free to bring anyone that likes to play poker. Table games, snacks, and plenty of jokes will follow the tournament. Once again there will be prizes raffled during halftime of this annual event, so be ready! We look forward to seeing you on the 6th!
2009 Nite Hawk Poker Tourney Winners:
1st place - Kevin Godwin
2nd Place - Jason Husske
3rd Place - Jeremy Logue
4th Place - Tim Peters
01- 01 2010 Improvements to Nite Hawk Field
This past fall, some major improvements were made to Nite Hawk Field. In September, the Iowa Cubs Sports Turf Management Crew renovated the entire infield. During the process, they added three truck loads of black dirt to raise the middle section of the diamond. The Cubs also laser graded the skin area and base paths to make sure everything was perfectly level. The final touches included laying a specific athletic blend of Kentucky Bluegrass as the sod. By the time spring rolls around, the Nite Hawks will have a major league quality infield to play on.
In October, the Nite Hawks and Ballard Bombers teamed up to renovate the batting cages. With the original cage, numerous wheelbarrow loads of brick chips were hauled out and replaced with a much firmer crushed limestone surface. Right next to the original cage, a new frame was set up to give players additional practice space. The final pieces of the puzzle included pouring both a hitting and pitching concrete slab in each cage. These areas will be covered with Astroturf in the spring to give the cages a professional look. A special thanks goes to the city of Slater and Ballard Schools for helping make the renovations possible! (go to the "Field" page for a few photos of the work done)
08 - 17 - 09 Nite Hawks Wrap Up 2009 Season
The Slater Nite Hawks ended their 2009 baseball season on August 2 in Williamsburg. They were eliminated in the Iowa State Semi-Pro Tournament by the Ladora Red Top. Overall, the Hawks finished with a 13-21 record, and ended up fifth in the Des Moines Semi-Pro League standings. Consistency seemed to be a problem for much of the season, as the boys from Slater simply couldn’t get over the hump when they needed to. However, there were also games where the Hawks looked extremely impressive. One of the games included a big win over the fourth place Quad Cities 76ers. Another accomplishment included the Hawks first round state victory over the Osage North Stars.
Statistically, the Hawks were led by veteran players Brett Fuller (Cambridge) and Danny Rohrs (Des Moines). Fuller and Rohrs provided much of the punch in the middle of the Hawk order. Kyle Culp (Cambridge) and Josh Smith (Kelley) also had nice years both at the plate, and in the field. Also providing some excitement on the diamond was Kyle Tegeler, a first year Nite Hawk from Ames. Tegeler got hot towards the end of the season, and carried the team at times. He also provided steady help on the mound with his mid 80’s fastball. Along with Tegeler, the pitching rotation consisted mainly of Kyle Hanna, (Ankeny) Paul Brown, (Polk City) and James Stone (Johnston). All five pitched extremely well at times, and look to be back next season.
The Nite Hawk players would like to thank all the fans, volunteers, and the community for once again helping support semi-pro baseball in Slater. During the off-season, don’t forget to keep up to date on Nite Hawk news at www.slaternitehawks.com We look forward to seeing you at the ballpark next May!
07 - 28 - 09 * * * * Nite Hawks to Host Semi-Pro State Tournament * * * *
The Slater Nite Hawks will be hosting the first round of the Iowa State Semi-Pro Baseball Tournament on Friday, July 31. Two seven inning games will take place at Nite Hawk Field. At 7:00 p.m., the Des Moines Aces will be taking on Oelwein. At 9:00 p.m., the Nite Hawks will be playing Osage. The double elimination tournament runs two weekends, and features teams from all over the state. Don’t miss out on semi-pro baseball at its finest! Come out to the ballpark and support your local team in Slater. For more questions, contact Brett Fuller at (515) 205-0250
07 - 20 -09 Nite Hawks Pick Up Big Wins
The Slater Nite Hawks picked up two much needed victories over the weekend. One of them included a 2-0 shutout of the 2007 state semi-pro champion Quad Cities 76ers. The other was a 13-6 come from behind win against the Des Moines Devils. Heading into the last week of regular season play, the Hawks need to win a few more in order to qualify for the state tournament that starts on July 31.
Williamsburg - On July 18, the boys from Slater met the tradition-strong team from the Quad Cities in a doubleheader. The 76ers took game one by a score of 8-3. In game two, Kyle Hanna (Ankeny) out-dueled Chase Stephens to earn the win for the Hawks. Hanna’s ability to mix speeds and locate his fastball helped shut down the powerful 76er bats. The Hawk scoring took place in the fourth inning when Brett Fuller (Cambridge) and Danny Rohrs (Des Moines) hit back to back singles. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, with Matt Dunn (Waukee) at the plate. Dunn put the ball in play on the right side of the infield, and Fuller beat the throw to the plate to score the first run of the game. Charlie Eastland (Boone) later picked up a run batted in when he was hit in the back by a pitch. This plated the second Hawk win, and proved to be all they would need.
Slater - July 19 proved to be another big day for the Hawks, as the bats came alive in game two of the twinbill. After trailing 6-0 early on, Kyle Tegeler (Ames) put the team on his back and drove in five runs. One of his three hits included a three run home run to left field. The momentum seemed to change after Tegeler’s blast, as the Hawks continued to hit the ball hard the rest of the game. Stephen Griep (Fort Dodge) got his first win on the mound, as he came out of the bullpen to pitch a perfect four innings of relief.
The Des Moines Semi-Pro Baseball League Tournament has been cancelled to make room for regular season make-up games. The Hawks will be looking to make up a doubleheader with the Des Moines Shockers, and a single game with the Des Moines Devils. For more information on Nite Hawk game sites and times, contact Brett Fuller at (515) 205-0250
7 - 6 - 09 Nite Hawk Bats Come Alive
The Slater Nite Hawks picked up two much needed league wins last week. One of them included an 18-2 demolishing of the Des Moines Shockers. The bats came alive for really the first time all summer, and the defense and pitching remained steady for the boys from Slater. With the two wins, the Hawks improved their record to 6-6 in the Des Moines Semi-Pro Baseball League.
Slater - With a big crowd on hand for Little League Night, offense was the name of the game as Nite Hawk hitters crushed anything the Shockers could throw at them. Newcomer Jason McNertney (Ames) led the way by going 2 for 3 at the plate, with two doubles and a rocket of a home run. Brett Fuller (Cambridge) also had a nice night going 4 for 5 with five runs batted in. Ryan Smith (Eagle Grove) pitched all seven innings to earn his first victory of the season.
Des Moines - It seemed like everything clicked on July 6, as the Hawks defeated the Valley Junction Cubs 8-5 at Birdland Park. Strong pitching, stellar defense, and timely hitting helped the Hawks get this road victory. Kyle Hanna (Ankeny) pitched brilliantly, going eight strong innings and only giving up two runs. He forced the Cubs to hit a lot of week fly balls, and the Hawk defense provided some excitement as well. Ben Gander (Maxwell) and Kyle Culp (Cambridge) both made major league like plays on the night. Gander ran down a ball that was smoked in the left field gap, and made a leaping catch. Culp back handed a ball in the hole at shortstop, and threw out a Cub runner from his knees. Offensively, the Hawks got big hits from Danny Rohrs, (Des Moines) Kyle Tegeler, (Ames) and Tito Guerra (Puerto Rico).
Make sure you make it to the ball park on Wednesday, July 15. The Hawks will be handing out free popcorn to all fans in attendance, as they take on the Des Moines Devils. See you in Slater!
6 - 28-09 Nite Hawks Return Home on Thursday
The Slater Nite Hawks improved their league record to 4-4 with a win against the Valley Junction Cubs on June 25. The Hawks were hoping to continue their winning ways over the weekend, but instead suffered losses to the Des Moines Merchants and the Des Moines Titans. Consistent hitting and pitching has been a problem for the boys from Slater all summer. They hope to get back to their winning ways this Thursday at Nite Hawk Field.
Des Moines - Last Wednesday, the Hawks received excellent pitching and timely hitting in a big 7-3 win at Birdland Park. Jon Wilson (Slater) and Kyle Hanna (Ankeny) kept the Cub bats quiet all night. Wilson’s curveball threw the Cub hitters off so much, it looked like they were trying to swat flies. On the offensive side of things, Kyle Culp’s (Cambridge) double in the first inning scored a pair, and helped get things going early. The Hawks later picked up two insurance runs in the eight inning when Brett Fuller (Cambridge) singled home Paul Brown, (Polk City) and Dustin Dellachesia (Polk City) hit a sacrifice fly to score Josh Smith (Kelley). On Sunday afternoon the Hawks took on the Des Moines Titans, a team they had beaten earlier in the season. Both pitching and hitting struggled on the day, as the Hawks were swept by scores of 7-5 and 9-8. Charlie Eastland, (Boone) Nick Anderson, (Boone) Danny Rohrs, (Des Moines) and Brett Fuller (Cambridge) provided much of the offense in the two losses. Once again, the Hawks return home on July 2 for a much needed win against the Des Moines Shockers. Come out to the ballpark and kickoff the Fourth of July weekend with the Nite Hawks!
6 -17-09 Nite Hawks Fight Back To Win
Slater - On June 17, the Slater Nite Hawks had a huge come from behind victory over the Des Moines Tigers. What seemed to be another inconsistent home effort, turned into an 8-7 Hawk win against a team that beat them a week earlier on their home turf. Nite Hawk pitcher Kyle Tegeler (Ames) struggled with control early, as the Tigers took a commanding 6-0 lead after five and a half innings of play. In the bottom of the sixth, the Hawks had a wakeup call, and scored six runs of their own. Brett Fuller’s (Cambridge) bases loaded double scored a pair of runs, as well as Bryan Ball’s (Bettendorf) two run single. A Tiger error and a Danny Rohrs (Des Moines) sacrifice gave the Hawks a lead, and put them right back in the hunt for a win. From then on out, relief pitcher James Stone (Johnston) shut down the Tiger bats in fine fashion. Stone pitched the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth innings and stuck out six to earn the victory. Making nice defensive plays on the night were shortstop Kyle Culp (Cambridge) and centerfielder Josh Smith (Kelley). The Hawks remain on the road for the remainder of the week, and return home to play the Des Moines Shockers on July 2. Remember, July 2 is Little League Night, so bring your ball players out to Nite Hawk Field!
6-11-09 Nite Hawks Looking For Consistency
The Slater Nite Hawk record fell to 2-8 last week, with losses to the Des Moines Tigers and the Des Moines Aces. They also picked up their second league win of the season, with a 16-2 drubbing of the Des Moines Shockers at Birdland Park. Consistency has been the name of the game so far in this short season, as the Hawks continue to look for improvement in all areas including offense, defense, and pitching. A lack of execution in close games has also paved the way to a slow start record wise.
Des Moines - On June 11, the Hawks jumped on the Shockers early when they scored seven runs in the first inning. Josh Smith (Kelley) got things going with a line drive home run that almost knocked over the left field foul pole. Leading hitters in the win included Brett Fuller (Cambridge) who was 3x4, Danny Rohrs (Des Moines) who was 3x5, and Dustin Dellachesia (Polk City) who was 2x5. Kyle Tegeler (Ames) pitched brilliantly as he kept the Shocker hitters off-balance all night. James Stone (Johnston) came on to pitch a solid two innings of relief to close the game. Making nice defensive plays were Kyle Culp (Cambridge) and Tito Guerra (Puerto Rico), whom both handled the middle infield duties.
Slater - On June 10, Jon Wilson pitched six solid innings of shutout ball, but the bats were very silent in the 4-2 Nite Hawk loss. Sean Logan, a crafty lefty hurler for the Tigers, pitched nine innings to help the visitors win. Paul Brown (Polk City) was saddled with the loss, after pitching the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings. The boys from Slater go on the road for two weeks before returning home on July 2. A slight change in the schedule has the Hawks playing at Grand View College on June 27, instead of at Watkins. The nine inning contest against the Des Moines Merchants will get underway at 1:00.
5-15-09 Nite Hawk Home Opener on Sunday
The 2009 semi-pro baseball season gets under way this weekend in Slater. The Nite Hawks will take on the Valley Junction Cubs in a nine inning contest beginning at 5:00. This year’s squad looks to rebound from a disappointing 2008 campaign, when the Nite Hawks failed to qualify for the Iowa State Semi-Pro Tournament. Last year’s team was made up mainly of first year college players, whom had to adjust to using wood bats and playing against stiff competition. This year the boys of summer look to get back to the winning ways of the 2007 season, when the Hawks won twenty-four games.
Returning to the diamond for the Hawks this summer will be veteran players such as Matt Dunn (Waukee), Dustin Dellachesia (Polk City), Brett Fuller (Cambridge), Kyle Culp (Cambridge), and Ben Gander (Maxwell). Also adding experience to that list is Josh Smith (Kelley), Paul Brown (Polk City), and Seth Hockaday (Pleasantville). Other exciting players to watch this summer will be Justin DeVoe (Newton), Jon Wilson (Slater), and Danny Rohrs (Des Moines). All three players return to Slater after playing away from home last summer. In 2007, DeVoe and Wilson combined to go 14-3 on the mound for the Hawks. Rohrs will provide a big bat in the middle of the line-up and patrol right field. Newcomers to this year’s team include James Stone (Johnston), Kyle Tegeler (Ames), Chris Stout (Nevada), and Brett Bell (Jewel).
A thirty-two game regular season schedule that includes stops in Carroll and Williamsburg, as well as plenty of games in Slater and Des Moines, will highlight the 2009 campaign. As always, the Hawks encourage fans to come out to the ballpark and cheer on their home town team. Special events such as Little League Night, and the popcorn and watermelon feed will be announced at a later date. See you at the ballpark!
