As Yogi Berra would say, "It's like déjà vu all over again.
Jackson and Hadley are meeting in the opening round of the Region 13C amateur baseball playoffs for the second straight year starting Wednesday at Wacker Field.
And for the second straight year the teams are meeting as the fourth and fifth seeds.
The Buttermakers won last year’s series 2-1. The Bulls won the first game in Jackson 3-2, with Hadley winning the next two at home, 9-3 and 6-5.
This year, Jackson won both regular-season games, winning 2-1 in Jackson on June 1 and 16-6 in six innings in a scheduled seven-inning game June 19 at Hadley.
Familiar territory
This version of town team baseball in Jackson started in 1985.
The first time the Bulls made the region playoffs was 1992. Jackson has played in the regional in 30 of 31 years since.
The lone year the Bulls didn’t advance to the region playoffs was 2012. Jackson was the No. 1 seed from the First Nite League and lost to Gopher League No. 8 Minneota in the league playoffs.
In 2018, the Bulls were the lower seed in the league playoffs but made the region field as the No. 8 seed, advanced to the state tournament and won a game, beating Lake Henry in Shakopee. Lake Henry had finished second in the state tourney the previous season.
Admission charged
Jackson does not charge admission for home games during the regular season but that does change in the postseason.
The region requires the admission charge to cover the cost of umpires and baseballs.
The cost is $7 for adults and $3 for high school students. Age five and under is free.
Hady update
Former Jackson Bull Tom Hady, who is second on the team’s all-time wins list behind Ryan Rasche, made another pitching appearance for the Class B Shakopee Indians Sunday.
Hady went one inning in a 21-3 Shakopee win over the Excelsior Islanders, allowing one hit and striking out two.
He has a 0-1 record with one save.
Memory Lane
A few memories from the last decade or so
Benefit supper
A benefit supper for a former Bull will he held Saturday.
Friends of the Matt Plumhoff family will host the event from 5-7 p.m. Saturday at the Welcome American Legion. Matt played for Jackson from 2000-2003 and played for the Welcome Merchants before that
The Martin County Pork Producers will be cooking pork chops on a stick. Other side dishes will be served. There’s a freewill donation with 100% of the proceeds going to the Plumhoff family. Matching funds of up to $7,000 will be available.
The Plumhoff family’s journey started a year ago.
In July of 2021, Matt started having persistent rib pain that was finally diagnosed as Stage 4 Renal Cancer in December. A broken left humerus, right humerus, shoulder and subsequent surgeries followed in January and May of this year.
Matt is undergoing many treatments including chemo medications, immunotherapy, radiation and is on oxygen.
The Plumhoff family is attempting to purchase a motorized wheelchair to increase Matt’s ability of movement with the ultimate goal of improving his and his family’s quality of life.
For general information contact Matt Prunty (507-848-5363). To donate contact Justin Borchardt (507-236-1536).