7/19/2009- New Look A's Close Out Season Winning Four of Six
The New Look A's took the field against the host Crookston Reds on July 13 for the first-ever "Bat Your Position in the Lineup Night", where Ada filled out the batting oder according to defensive position, with the pitcher batting leadoff right down to the right fielder batting ninth in the order. Crookston showed glimpses of years past as they cruised to an 8-2 win.
The teams squared off again two days later in Crookston. Ada players narrowly voted down having "Use Your Opposite Hand Night" in favor of "Keith Hanson Night", as the 37 year old Hanson appeared on the mound for the first time in three years. Hanson shut down the thought-to-be-surging Reds with an arsenal of strike pitches and the New Look A's won 12-2 in 8 innings.
Ada made their annual trip to Warroad and Roseau on July 18th and 19th, winning three of four and narrowly missing a sweep. Using some cagey veterans, the New Look A's took two games from the Warroad Muskies on Saturday by scores of 8-4 and 9-4. The first game required an extra frame as Warroad scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the game to extra innings. On Sunday, the New Look A's plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 5-4 lead, but the Royals rallied with two consecutive two-out doubles to tie the game, and won the game on a walk-off single. Ada closed out the weekend by scoring 13 runs in the third inning of Game Two to take a 18-0 lead, and cruised to a five-inning 20-1 win.
Ada will not compete in the 2009 playoffs. The squad ended the year with a 21-9 record in games played between the lines.
7/7/2009- Ada Rally Falls Short
Ada spotted the visiting Bemidji Mudcats a 9-1 lead, then rallied in the later innings only to fall short 10-8. Ada had the bases loaded with two outs in he bottom of the ninth inning, but couldn't get the big hit.
7/2/2009- EGF Defeats Ada in Extra Frame
Nine innings wasn't enough to decide the winner, but East Grand Forks plated two runs in the top of the tenth inning and held on for a 7-5 victory over host Ada. The lead changed hands several times throughout the game, with neither team holding more than a one-run advantage until the final inning. Keith Hanson put Ada on top 5-4 with a two-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning, but EGF answered with a tying run in the top of the seventh. Ada missed on a scoring chance in the bottom of the frame, and couldn't muster any offense thereafter. Hanson, Aaron Cook and Kenneth Hayden all had multiple hits for the A's. Jameson Benson started for the A's on the mound, with Sam Kinne taking the loss in relief.
7/1/2009- Ada 9, Crookston 2
Ada took advantage of some fortunate bounces and mixed in a few hits to jump out to a 7-0 lead after three innings, and cruised to a 9-2 win over the visiting Crookston Reds. Crookston answered with a two-run homerun in the fifth inning. The scoring was rounded out with a two-run double off the bat of Josh Greene in the eighth inning. Kenneth Hayden was the only A's player with multiple hits, stroking a double and single; Aaron Cook batted in three runs. Josh Remer picked up the win on the mound, with Josh Greene throwing three scoreless innings.
6/28/2009- Shorthanded A's Sweep Blue Ox in Bemidji
Ada had only 9 players, but still managed to earn two wins over Bemidji to move their record to 16-3. In Game 1, pitcher Sam Kinne scattered six hits and struck out seven batters. The A's stroked out 11 hits throughout the lineup, led by Kenneth Hayden, Aaron Cook and Mike Gullingsrud with two each, while Kinne added 2 RBI.
In Game 2, Ada jumped out to a 5-0 early lead, and cruised to a 8-4 win. Adam Schumacher and Kenneth Hayden hurled for Ada. The middle of the lineup led the A's with ten hits, led by Jameson Benson's three hits and two RBI's; Keith Hanson added a two RBI hit.
6/14/2009- Ada Falls to Mudcats in Bemidji Tourney Title Matchup
Bemidji took advantage of a series of Ada miscues in the middle innings to take the Roscoe Tournament championship 8-0. Ada reached the title hilt by beating the Dent Wildcats 6-2 on Friday evening, and the Bemidji Blue Ox 5-1 on Saturday. Dent led the A's 2-0, but an Aaron Cook double plated two runs and a Sam Kinne triple later drove in three runs. Mike Gullingsrud also added an RBI. Josh Remer picked up the win. Against the Blue Ox, the A's had a balanced attack, led by Jameson Benson's three hits. Benson also picked up the win on the mound.
6/7/2009- A's complete weekend sweep
The host Ada A's completed a weekend sweep by taking two games from the visiting Bemidji Blue Ox, 7-4 and 13-5. Ada jumped out to an early 6-1 lead in the first game, relying on a balanced offensive attack in which 8 of 9 players collected hits. Keith Hanson had a 2RBI single in the third inning, while Aaron Cook collected three hits in the contest and Kenneth Hayden added a pair. Jameson Benson went the distance on the mound, scattering 8 hits and striking out 6 batters.
Ada squandered a late inning 5-3 lead in the second game, but came back to score 8 runs in the bottom of the sixth frame to break a 5-5 tie and secure the win. The 6th inning offensive explosion was highlited by Mike Vilmo's 3RBI double. For the game, Chris Ellingson added two hits and 2 RBI and Aaron Cook also added three hits. Sam Kinne picked up the win on the mound, allowing five hits and striking out five batters. Ada is now 11-1.
6/6/2009- Roseau drops two games to Ada
Ada cruised to two victories over the visiting Roseau Royals on Saturday, 12-3 and 14-1. The A's have now won five of their last six games via the ten run rule, with the sixth game being a 9-run victory. In Game 1, Ada spotted Roseau a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but came back to score runs in the third and fourth innings, then scored 7 runs in the fifth inning to break the game open. Jameson Benson had two hits and three RBI's, while Chris Ellingson, Kyle Nelson, Sam Kinne and Mike Gullingsrud also added multiple hits in the 12 hit attack. Josh Remer scattered ten hits, struck out 5 batters and walked none to earn the win.
Ada jumped out early in the second game, scoring four runs in the first inning and five in the second inning. Their bats continued to sizzle, pounding out 11 hits with Sam Kinne leading the way with three hits and five RBI; Mike Gullingsrud and David Spies also had multiple hits. David Spies picked up his fourth win of the year on the mound. Ada is now 9-1.
5/31/2009- Ada Sweeps Doubleheader from Warroad
Warroad made the long trip down to Ada for a Sunday doubleheader, and were treated to a bruising by the A's. In the opening set, Ada scored 15 runs in the bottom of the second inning, and cruised to a 15-4 win in five innings. The scoring barrage started with a 3-RBI double by pitcher David Spies, while Sam Kinne had two 2-RBI doubles in the inning. Spies also added a 2-run double later in the inning. Also collecting multiple hits for the game were Jameson Benson with three, and catcher Andy Sadler with two. David Spies picked up his third win of the year.
The A's scattered their run production in the second game, scoring runs in each inning to win a 10-0 contest shortened to five innings. Sam Kinne had two RBI's on three hits, while Chris Ellingson and Aaron Cook also had two hits apiece. Josh Greene had a steady game on the mound, allowing two hits while striking out five batters and walking three.
5/27/2009- A's Defeat Felton Tigers 7-3
For the second time in a week, the host Ada A's defeated the Felton Tigers, a new team consisting of several former Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton and Moorhead players. The A's broke open a 1-0 game in the 5th inning with four runs, led by Jameson Benson's two-run double. Ada added two more runs in the sixth inning to take a 7-0 lead. Chris Ellingson led the 16 hit attack with a 3 for 3 performance, while Aaron Cook was 3 for 5 with an RBI; Benson and Josh Greene had multiple hit games while Kenneth Hayden scored two runs. David Spies scattered three hits, walked one, struck out one and allowed one run to earn his second victory of the year.
5/17/2009- Ada Splits Opener with Moorhead Expos
Ada hosted the Moorhead Expos on Sunday, taking the first game 9-0 and dropping the second, 0-1. David Spies pitched a gem in Game 1, allowing only two hits while walking one and striking out two. Ada broke open a scoreless tie in the mid-innings after taking advantage of several walks, and two 2-run hits by rookie Josh Greene.
The cobwebs on the A's bats were evident in Game 2, as they managed only two hits. The game ended with the winning run on base for the A's, when the Expos shortstop made a great play on a ball hit up the middle that could have scored the tying run. The A's showed off the depth of their pitching staff, as Josh Greene, Adam Schumacher, Jameson Benson and Josh Remer all saw action on the mound.
January 2009- Jim Hanson Award Winner Announced
In what proved to be the closest voting in history, the 2008 Jim Hanson Award winner was announced at a black tie event in The Brew in Ada. Several recounts of the ballots were required, and forensic experts needed to be called in to decipher several contested ballots, which apparently were filled out in crayon.
The Jim Hanson award is given annually to the Ada A’s player that most embodies all that A’s baseball is about: grit, determination, integrity, speed, power, charisma, grilling skills, drinking skills and overall machismo. Some members of the media feel it ranks above the Heisman Trophy in terms of prestige. The raucous crowd at The Brew turned ominously silent as Director of Player Procurement Mike Gullingsrud stepped to the podium and announced “…….and the winner of the 2008 Jim Hanson Award is………………….Jim Hanson!!!!!!!!” There was thunderous applause, mixed with some hisses and boos from several of Jim's old love interests that were in attendance. Jim stepped to the card table podium and graciously accepted the award. "This comes as a complete shock" said Jim. "After winning this thing 22 times, I never thought I'd get number 23!"
Jim has won the award every year since its inception, except in 1995 when problems with polling machines prevented accurate vote counting, and 2003 when Jim had to vacate the award due to the infamous “celebrity charity calendar incident”. Results from the years the award have been given are as follows:
JIM HANSON AWARD WINNNERS
1985- Jim Hanson 1994- Jim Hanson
1986- Jim Hanson 1995- Award Not Given
1987- Jim Hanson 1996- Jim Hanson
1988- Jim Hanson 1997- Jim Hanson
1989- Jim Hanson 1998- Jim Hanson
1990- Jim Hanson 1999- Jim Hanson
1991- Jim Hanson 2000- Jim Hanson
1992- Jim Hanson 2001- Jim Hanson
1993- Jim Hanson 2002- Jim Hanson
2003- Vacated
2004- Jim Hanson
2005- Jim Hanson 2006- Jim Hanson
2007- Jim Hanson 2008- Jim Hanson
