Alexa Hanowski, who is heading into her senior year at Becker High School, drove in the winning run in the championship game in the Regional National North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) tournament in Chaska July 23-26.
Hanowski’s game winning RBI allowed her team to take first place in the Silver Bracket of the 18U division.
The Minneapolis Heat, a traveling fastpitch softball club coached by Brian Badenhoff, is a conglomeration of players from the Metro area, along with players from New Prague, Howard Lake, Dassel-Cokato, and Clear Lake.
Hanowski is a four-year charter member of the club, where she has seen action as a catcher, a center fielder and for the past two seasons as the team’s second baseman.
The Heat scored only seven runs in the first three games, but were able to hold their opponents to just eight, to finish third in their pool (1-2). The team “turned on the heat” and went undefeated in the bracket play to finish in first place with a 6 - 2 record.
Hanowski was instrumental in the team’s tournament success, making several defensive plays at second base including a leaping catch to snag a rising line drive to rob the opponent of an extra base hit.
Hanowski’s championship winning hit came on a “sneak” bunt in the top of the final inning.
“I looked over at Coach Brian and he gave him the nod,” said Hanowski. “He knew what I was going to do because he knows me so well.”
She then dropped a perfect bunt that allowed her teammate to score the go-ahead run from third base. The Heat went on to hold off their opponent in the bottom of the inning to preserve the win.
“I knew with the go ahead run at third and Alexa coming up to bat, that she would get down the sneak bunt to win the game,” Coach Badenhoff said.
“Alexa gives more than 100% every time she steps on the field. She instilled that confidence in me over the years and trust that I knew she would win the game for the team.”
Badenhoff said in that critical moment in the game, it's as if they both knew what was going to happen.
“No sign was needed,” he joked. “She knew the moment and delivered to take her team to victory. She makes any team better and I was so fortunate to have coached her for the past four years.”
