Hawthorne Falls to Williston in Regular-Season Finale

WILLISTON – Hawthorne baseball closed out the regular season with a crushing 12-2 loss to Williston. 

The Hornets (11-9) struggled to find momentum Friday night, committing 13 errors and leaving 10 runners on base against the Red Devils (14-9).

Williston broke the game open early, scoring three runs in the first inning by capitalizing on Hawthorne’s mistakes. A single from Daxton Weston turned into a run after an error allowed a runner to score. 

The Red Devils added to their lead in the second inning by scoring five more runs. Braige Schneider led off with a single and stole second before Scott Rocket reached first on a hit. A throw to first sailed over the first baseman’s head to allow Rocket to advance to second while Schneider scored. 

“Errors and bad plays killed us,” Hornets junior Branson Byrd said. 

Rocket later crossed the plate on a hit from Canon Sims, and Williston continued to build its lead when Kenan Bellamy delivered a two-RBI hit to make it 8-0.

Hawthorne scored its two runs in  the fifth inning. Tison Thomas started with a single, followed by a double from Caleb Jacobs to put runners in scoring position. Connor Flinchum then got walked to load the bases, and Gene Brooks was hit by a pitch to bring Thomas home. 

Later in the inning, Jacobs scored on a catcher’s error. Although Hawthorne loaded the bases again, Brantley Broome was thrown out at first to end the inning with Williston leading 8-2. 

The Red Devils added to their lead with a string of hits, walks and errors by the Hornets in the fifth. Schneider and Rocket each singled to start the inning, with both later advancing on a catcher’s error. Colby Jansen then hit a two-RBI double to score Schneider and Rocket and moving Sims to third. 

Williston continued to load the bases with walks and errors to bring the game to a 12-2 final and run-ruling Hawthorne in five innings. 

“Our goal is to try and get better each year,” Hawthorne coach Matt Surrency said. “We try to get better each game.”

Surrency said he believes the team improved compared to last year, despite the strength that Hawthorne’s schedule shows. He added that both teams recorded hits Friday, with Hawthorne finishing with nine and Williston 11, but Williston delivered in key moments and executed plays, while the Hornets did not.

“We got a good team, it’s just a matter of if they show up,” Surrency said. “If they show up, we’re going to beat anybody on our schedule. But if they don’t show up, we’re going to look like we did tonight.” 

Hawthorne is 1-7 against Williston since March 2016, with its only win in that span coming earlier this season, when the Hornets beat the Red Devils 7-4 at home March 24. 

“Not only skill-set wise, but as a team, we have grown together this entire season,” Byrd said.

The six seed Hornets play their first playoff game  Monday at three seed Branford (13-7) at 7 p.m. in the Rural District 6 tournament quarterfinal.

“It’s their season, you never know when it’s your last time playing ball with each other so just have fun and enjoy the ride,” Surrency said. 

2026 FHSAA Baseball District Tournaments Rural District 6

Category: Hawthorne High School, High School Sports, Williston High School