The Heidelberg Hedgehogs 1st Men’s Team battle the Mannheim Tornados in a doubleheader to close out 2025.
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Mannheim Tornados | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | x | 12 | 13 | 0 |
| Heidelberg Hedgehogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | x | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Mannheim Tornados | 2 | 4 | 7 | 4 | x | x | x | 17 | 16 | 0 |
| Heidelberg Hedgehogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | x | x | 0 | 3 | 4 |
Hopes were high before the final doubleheader of the season: tradition called for the Hedgehogs’ Mustache Game, and with every player sporting an impressive ’stache, the dream was that a touch of magic mustache power might spark an upset against league leaders Mannheim. Unfortunately, even the finest facial hair couldn’t change the outcome.
Battling blazing heat and Mannheim’s decidedly younger team, the Hedgehogs gave it all they had. But it simply wasn’t enough. The high point of the first game was a double by Lukas Raudonat in the bottom of the 5th inning, driving in two runs. But for the Hedgehogs, those were the only two runs of the day. From the outset – whether in the first game or the second – the Tornados quickly took the lead and never relinquished it. Other Hedgehogs scoring opportunities, such as loading the bases in the 4th inning of the first game, failed to yield further runs.
On the mound, Luis Gonzales (Game 1) and Markus Golombek (Game 2) did admirable work, but too often lacked the defensive support they needed. High outfield flies were not always caught, and infield bloopers repeatedly went astray. What was worse: at the plate, the Hedgehogs struck out no fewer than eleven times in the first game alone!
By comparison, Mannheim’s lineup kept the bats hot, belting three home runs and running the bases aggressively, swiping bag after bag in both contests.
But in the end, it’s all part of the game. The Hedgehogs tip their caps to Mannheim and wish the Tornados the best of luck in the playoffs. And if there’s one lesson from this year’s Mustache Game: style points don’t win ballgames – but they sure make the Hedgehogs one of a kind. Here’s to 2026!
Riley Edwards-Raudonat
