Senior shortstop R.J. Flowers’ two-RBI triple and his ensuing run on an errant throw capped a four-run sixth inning again Allegan to help hand the Hawkeyes a 9-6 victory and their first district title since 2009 Saturday.

Hamilton defeated host South Haven 12-4 Saturday morning to advance to the championship game.

The Hawkeyes (23-7) advance to regional play next Saturday at Gull Lake High School.

GAME ONE
Hamilton 12, South Haven 4

Senior center fielder Connor Hagen started the game with a leadoff home run, but South Haven responded early.

The Rams scored three in the bottom of the opening frame, but the Hawkeyes proved to be too much to handle. Hamilton pounded out 15 hits and scored in every inning but one.

Senior lefty Nate White improved his unbeaten record to 11-0 and struck out eight while walking four. White was also 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs.

Junior Keith Phillips was 3-for-5 with a double, senior Adam Schreur was 2-for-4 with a double, and junior Joey DeGood was 2-for-3. Senior Brandon Hulst had a double and 3 RBIs.

GAME TWO
Hamilton 9, Allegan 6

Hamilton started fast once again, plating five runs over the first three innings. Allegan, however, fought back to take the lead in the fifth inning.

Following a dropped third strike, Allegan pieced together two singles and a walk. With the bases loaded, the Tigers smashed a grand slam to take a momentary 6-5 lead.

But, with two on in the top of the sixth inning, Flowers tagged a two-RBI triple and scored himself when an errant relay throw caromed to the backstop.

Senior Cody Buresh (5-1) relieved Phillips in the fifth inning and earned the win. In almost three innings of work, Buresh walked three and fanned two batters.

“Overall this was a good day for us to prepare for the district tournament next Saturday,” Hamilton coach Ken DeGood said. “We have some things to work on this week, but we did some things really well today also.”

Nate White (10-0) remained unbeaten with his game one victory.

The Hawkeyes (21-7 overall) begin district play June 4 at Allegan High School.

With a share of the O-K Green conference championship on the line and his team trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Hawkeyes’ third baseman blasted a walkoff, two-run home run to deep right-center field to hand Hamilton a 3-2 victory.

The Hawkeyes (20-6 overall, 12-1 O-K Green) captured game two of the doubleheader, 5-4, to take home the outright O-K Green conference championship.

GAME ONE
Hamilton 3, Holland Christian 2

Baker provided the late-inning fireworks, but Nate White (9-0) was brilliant while limiting a potent Holland Christian offense to only two runs on three hits.

The senior left-hander recorded 12 strikeouts and walked only three Maroons.

Senior shortstop R.J. Flowers singled to lead of the bottom of the eighth inning with Hamilton behind 2-1. Baker then deposited the first pitch he saw from Holland Christian pitcher Peter Cupery over the fence for the dramatic victory.

“This was probably one of the most exciting finishes I have ever been a part of,” Hamilton coach Ken DeGood said. “This was just a great high school baseball game.”

GAME TWO
Hamilton 5, Holland Christian 4

The Hawkeyes came from behind once again in game two, courtesy of a two-RBI single by junior Keith Phillips.

Hamilton trailed 4-2 entering the bottom half of the sixth inning, but the Hawkeyes pieced together a two-out rally after senior Adam Schreur started the inning with a single.

Junior Simeon VanHeest reached on an error, and senior Brandon Hulst was awarded first via catcher’s interference. After senior Connor Hagen recorded an infield single, Phillips singled sharply to center to score the tying and winning runs.

Baker (4-1) pitched a scoreless seventh to secure the win.

The Hawkeyes (18-6 overall) fell 15-3 to Mount Pleasant and 13-8 to Portland.

The Hawkeyes committed four errors and surrendered six runs in the top of the seventh inning en route to suffering their first O-K Green conference loss of the season, 8-4, in game one. Hamilton rebounded to win game two of the doubleheader 3-2.

Hamilton is now 10-1 in the O-K Green and 18-4 overall.

Full details posted later.

Hamilton (17-3 overall, 9-0 O-K Green) tallied 20 hits and never trailed in 5-2 and 9-5 victories.

Wyoming Park travels to face the Hawkeyes in a conference doubleheader Friday. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 4 p.m.

GAME ONE
Hamilton 5, Byron Center 2

Facing Byron Center ace Mitchel Patterson, the Hawkeyes succeeded by creating opportunities for themselves with balls in play.

“Patterson is a very tough pitcher and we knew that we needed to put the ball in play
and see if we could create something,” Hamilton head coach Ken DeGood said. “Our guys did a great job of that and were able to put down some good bunts to advance runners and allow us to score the runs we needed.”

Senior Nate White (8-0) remained unbeaten. He hurled five strikeouts.

Seniors Ben Baker and Cody Buresh were 2-for-4 and junior Brandon Dorn went 2-for-2.

GAME TWO
Hamilton 9, Byron Center 5

Buresh and junior Keith Phillips combined to hold a potent Byron Center offense down in the nightcap.

Buresh (3-2), a senior right-hander, pitched four strong innings before Byron Center plated four runs in the fifth frame. Phillips held the Bulldogs scoreless in relief to seal the victory.

Senior center fielder Connor Hagen notched two hits, including a double, and scored two runs. Senior shortstop R.J. Flowers was 2-for-2 with three walks and two runs scored.

Baker went 2-for-3 with 2 walks and two runs scored, and Buresh had two RBIs. Phillips tallied two hits.

Senior left-hander Nate White tossed a dozen strikeouts and upped his unbeaten record to 7-0 as the Hawkeyes downed host Zeeland East 6-2.

Hamilton improved to 15-3 overall and 7-0 in the O-K Green with the victory.

“We played a very solid first game tonight,” Hamilton coach Ken DeGood said. “Nathaniel White pitched a solid game, and we did a nice job offensively against a good pitcher (Zeeland East’s Michael Meade).”

The Hawkeyes scored four runs over the first two innings to take control of the game early, keyed by senior Adam Schreur’s two-RBI double in the opening frame.

“It was very big for us to score four early runs and give us a little bit of a cushion,” DeGood said. “They have a very talented team, and we feel very fortunate to get a win against them.”

Senior Ben Baker was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while fellow senior R.J. Flowers went 2-for-3 with with a walk and an RBI.

Game two of the doubleheader was suspended in the fifth inning with Zeeland East leading 3-2 due to lightning. The game will be completed at a later date.

Cody Buresh (3-0) allowed four hits and struck out eight batters to earn the win for Hamilton (14-3 overall, 6-0 O-K Green).

“Zeeland West pitcher Alex O’Connor did a good job of keeping us off-balance for four innings, but we finally broke through with a big inning in the fifth,” Hamilton head coach Ken DeGood said.

Senior Ben Baker collected two doubles and had three RBIs. Junior Simeon VanHeest was 2-for-4 with a double. Senior R.J. Flowers and junior Keith Phillips each went 2-for-4.

Senior Connor Hagen also doubled for Hamilton.

The Hawkeyes are next in action Friday for a conference doubleheader at Zeeland East. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.

The Hawkeyes (13-3 overall, 5-0 O-K Green) travel to face Zeeland West Tuesday in a single conference match up. First pitch is at 4:15 p.m. Hamilton defeated the Dux 14-0 on April 25.

GAME ONE
Hamilton 6, Unity Christian 3

Hamilton scored five runs in the first two innings, which proved to be the difference in game one.

Senior Nate White (6-0) earned the victory. He struck out 10 Crusaders while walking only two batters.

“Nathaniel pitched a very good game and we did enough early in the game to get the win,” Hamilton coach Ken DeGood said. “Give their pitcher credit. He settled down and kept us off balance after the first two innings.”

Junior Keith Phillips went 2-for-3, and senior Ben Baker was 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Senior R.J. Flowers tripled and had two RBIs.

Senior Brandon Hulst also smashed a triple for Hamilton.

GAME TWO
Hamilton 3, Unity Christian 2

Phillips held Unity Christian to two runs in a game that had no margin for error.

The left-hander scattered two runs, five hits and a pair of walks while fanning 11 hitters to improve his record to 3-2 on the season.

“Keith pitched a great game and again we did just enough offensively to get the win,” DeGood said. “Their pitcher did a great job keeping us off-balance, but we did some little things well that allowed us to score a couple of runs to win the game.

“I was really proud that our players kept battling even when we had some adversity.”

With Hamilton leading 1-0 in the fifth inning, Hulst reached base after a lead-off walk. Following a sacrifice bunt by junior Will Braschler and a single by junior Brandon Dorn, Hulst scored on a suicide squeeze by Phillips.

The Hawkeyes also recorded runs on sacrifice flies by Baker and White in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively.

Flowers and senior Adam Schreur both tripled and later scored for Hamilton.

The pair allowed only allowed only four Rogers’ hits and Hamilton did not commit an error as the Hawkeyes improved their record to 3-0 in the O-K Green and 11-3 overall.

“It was great to play two games without an error today,” Hamilton coach Ken DeGood said. “Our defense played well. Ben Baker pitched a great game allowing only 3 hits and one run in five innings … Cody Buresh pitched a really nice game. He mixed it up well and only allowed one hit.”

The Hawkeyes will next travel to Hudsonville Friday for a doubleheader showdown with conference opponent Unity Christian. First pitch of game one is slated for 4 p.m.

“We had a lot of different contributions tonight which was great to see,” DeGood said. “Our No. 3, 4 and 5 pitchers, who will need to step it up in the last few weeks for us to remain in a league championship race, had some nice outings tonight.”

GAME ONE
Hamilton 11, Wyoming Rogers 1

Buresh (2-0) hurled five strong innings in game one, striking out five while walking three. He surrendered only one hit.

Offensively, 2-for-3 performances from junior Keith Phillips, senior Adam Schreur and Baker provided the spark for the Hawkeye offense. Phillips knocked in three RBIs and scored three runs, while Baker had two RBIs and scored two runs. Baker also swiped three bases.

Junior Simeon VanHeest and Buresh each recorded a double.

GAME TWO
Hamilton 14, Wyoming Rogers 1

Baker (2-1) held Rogers to only a single run for the second time on the day during game two. In five innings of work, he allowed only three hits.

Senior shortstop R.J. Flowers knocked in four RBIs while notching a 4-for-4 performance, including a triple.

Buresh recorded a 2-for-3 effort with two RBIs, while Phillips finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Junior Andrew Stehle was 2-for-2 with two RBIs.

Junior Brandon Dorn pitched a scoreless sixth inning.