The Grand Island Islanders are taking a road trip to challenge the Hastings Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Grand Island is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
While Grand Island's victory against North Platte wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Islanders narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Bulldogs 9-7. The Islanders haven't had any issues with the Bulldogs recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Miles Nelson looked comfortable as he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits.
Trent Verplank
| 04/18/25 @ North Platte | 3 |
| 03/27/25 @ Lincoln Southeast | 2 |
| 04/20/24 @ Omaha Central | 2 |
| 03/29/24 @ Kearney | 2 |
| 04/18/25 @ North Platte | 1 |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Trent Verplank, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Sam Schroeder was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, after only two runs in their last contest, Hastings made sure to put some runs up on the board against Blair on Saturday. The Tigers blew past the Bears 13-0. That 13 run margin sets a new team best for the Tigers this season.
Carlos Jimenez made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits over five innings pitched. Jimenez was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Elliott Sidlo was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That home run was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Chance Vertin, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases and three runs.
Hastings always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .667. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Hastings pushed their record up to 9-6 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.3 runs over those games. As for Grand Island, their record now sits at 10-5.
Grand Island took their win against Hastings in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 11-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Islanders since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
