New season, same result.
Will it end like last season?
“We have turned the boat around, now we got to reach that island,” Coleman Lukas says.

One could argue that this season looks exactly like the last one. Four games played, four losses. Hajarnas Elite series baseball team has had a couple of tough losses and is still looking for their first win of the season.
On Thursday, that might change.

“I don´t see why we can´t be 4-4 come sunday”, says head coach Coleman Lukas.

If you look deeper at this seasons record, you will understand what he´s talking about. Last season, Hajarna scored five runs through four games.
In 2015 that number is up to 31.
Granted, the run differential is still negative, but only two teams has scored more runs than Hajarna in 2015.

“Turning a team from 2-20 to 10-10 is a lot to do. We´re 0-4 this season, but it´s a better 0-4 than last season.”

Lukas has put a lot of faith in new guys, young guys. When he talks about the players and the club, it´s about the future. That players will develop and improve. They will understand why they are out there.

“Putting people in new positions, that´s what creates mental toughness. It gives you the butterflies, but you will also recognize that you´re good enough to be there.”

The mental side is something Lukas returns to. He expects his players to want the ball. To stand out on that field and hoping to make all 27 outs of a game. The mental part is deeply rooted in his coaching style and something he wants the club, as a whole, to embrace.

“I think right now, people might be afraid of losing. That´s something we need to eradicate.”

Still, the club is 0-4.
Still, the club, the players and the coach wants more.
When going up against the Academy on Thursday, he knows what his new ballclub will bring.

“We´re going to compete in every game. Like that game in Botkyrka where we had a six run rally to tie it up in the ninth, that was great”.

The Sharks take on the Academy on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 12.00.

A team may succeed in many ways.
Like, becoming one.
“It was a learning experience,” Maria Kühnemuth says

When Göteborg Hajarna opened up the softball season on Sunday, it was a new team out there. It showed. In a good way.

The Sharks came out with a lot of energy, excitement and eagerness to play. The team, who has been battling all winter to mold themselves to one unit, surely looked like one. The communication was strong, teammates helping out each other everywhere and players getting their first taste of a real softball game.

Skövde came out on the field looking like the veteran team they are. After taking an early lead, they never really looked back winning the first game 23-8. Hajarna, it must be noted, never gave up. They tried desperatly to trim that deficit and had a lot of good swings, all through the lineup.

“Every player got on base, one way or another. And the base running was phenomenal!” Kühnemuth says.

The sun came out at Shark Park, the field so wet it felt more like a shark tank, but Hajarna dropped game two as well. Although playing better than the first game, Skövde won 10-0. Hajarna was sharper defensivly and Maria Kühnemuth saw a strong middle infield combination:

“There was a couple of excellent plays from shortstop Kristie Evegren and second baseman Lynn André,” Kühnemuth says.

Göteborg Hajarna (0-4) came in to Saturdays game looking to swing the bats. They got on the board early and kept going from there. Timely hitting and solid defense made sure that the Sharks were up 9-2 through five innings.

Leksand Lumberjacks (3-1) had a hard time figuring out Hajarna starting pitcher Jason Norderum. The American had 9 strikeouts and two outs in the bottom of the fifth when the Sharks ran in to trouble. The Lumberjacks scored six runs before the Sharks got that third out and Norderum was done for the day. Leksand kept going and added four more runs and keeping Hajarnas offense at bay. Hajarna brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth but Joe Lankford popped out to end the game at 12-9 in favour of the visitors.

The steady rain continued as the second game got underway. This time, it was the other way around. Leksand jumped on Hajarna in the top of the first and was up 5-0 before the Sharks could get out of it. A late surge from the home team was not enough and the Lumberjacks won the second game 10-5.

Göteborg Hajarna don´t have to wait long to get another crack at their first win of the season. On Thursday May 14th, Akademin will be at Shark Park for a double header. First pitch is at 12.00.

New team, new season, new players, new series.
It could have been easier.
“This will be really good”, says Heidi Bader.

Sunday is a day that Heidi Bader has been looking forward to. When the softball team start their season, it will certainly be a challenge. But not impossible. This team surely looks like a team with a capital T.

“That is where we are strong, helping each other. That is what we are strongest right now and where we need to be strong”, says Heidi Bader.

The decision to once again get Hajarnas softball team up and running were made last season. If you add veterans and mix in a couple of rookies, that is where the team is right now.
A hard working, unpolished team.
Shark Tank has been their home all winter. Getting to know one another. Finding each other. But the real break came when Shark Park opened in April.

“There´s a few players that hasn´t played before and I think that was big for them. Running out on the field, see the bases, standing at their positions”.

When first pitch is delievered against Skövde on Sunday, two players will know the opponents a little better than others. Maria Kuhnemuth and Rachel Keefe played has played with Skövde and that might prove to be the difference.

“They know the players, where they are strong and if they have any weaknesses.”

Bader is humble as the season starts. The team don´t have a set goal to pick up wins. They want to get better, improve in all areas. But Bader can´t deny what she really wants.

“Win. I´m not sure I dare hope for that yet, we´re still such a new team. If we can perform well, limit our mistakes and keep games close…”.

And when Hajarna bring home that Swedish Championship to Göteborg?
“Next season”, says Heidi Bader laughing.

First Elite series game is in the books.
Now, the world awaits.
“Baseball will take me where it takes me”, says Trolle Brandt.

Starting at shortstop and not even 16 years old. One can be nervous for less. But Trolle handled that pressure like a pro. Coombining two hits, his first in Elite series play, with solid defense.

“I was pretty nervous, but also a lot of fun!”

Playing two regional games last season, he is still a rookie. Though he played a lot with the national team in Germany, Brandt was still surprised he got to start against Botkyrka. When head coach Coleman Lukas gave him the nod, he took it the right way.

“I was glad, we have a lot of good players so I didn’t think I was starting”.

But he did start, and finished both games. A combined 17 innings at shortstop is now history and Brandt didn’t disappoint anyone.

“I was able to play good defense, limiting my defensive mistakes. But it felt really good to have my first hit”.

He has his path cut out for him. With the season going forward the goals are set. But he is looking for more. Brandt won’t be satisfied with Hajarna and Sweden. The world is his playground.

“Hopefully, I’ll attend the Academy this fall, and hopefully college after that. After that… I
don’t know. Baseball will take me where it takes me”.

Hajarna pitcher, Jason Norderum, who´s seen Trolle Brandt evolve since last season is impressed. He talks about a talent that shows great work ethic and passion for the game. About a player who sets high goals and achieves them.

“As a coach, you can show players the door to success but you can´t make them walk through it. This winter, Trolle has busted down that door and sprinted through it”, Norderum says.

For now, Hajarna is his main focus. Even in Sweden, the season is long and Brandt is humble to what the summer might bring:
“My goal is to play as many games as possible, play good defense, better offense.”

On saturday, Hajarna face off with Leksand at Shark Park, their first home game of the season. It will be a good test for Hajarna as they try to build on the positive feeling they’ve had so far.

“They played in the finals last season so it will be a challenge. We’ll face better pitching than last weekend, it will be though”.

Three years without a victory.
Göteborg B finally got back in the win column.
“This feels really good”, says Coleman Lukas.

The regional team season opener was a treat to watch. Malmö Pilots swung the bat well early in the first game. Despite Mikael Lindquist great pitching, Hajarna found themselves down 0-3. Josef Hussein came on in relief and threw two shutout innings but Hajarna could only muster one run offensively. That would soon change.

“Warm water in Malmö allowed Hajarna to go on a feeding frenzy”, says Jason Norderum, special assistant to the GM and executive advisor to the travel coordinator.

Göteborg got on the board early in the second game and Josef Hussein, now starting, threw a gem. Hussein tossed five no hit innings and seven total shutout innings.

Offensively, the runs kept coming for Hajarna. Solid hitting all through the game and the regionals first win in three years was a fact. The Pilots got two runs in the 7th but Hajarna took the game 12-2.

“Organizationally we improved throughout the whole weekend. And we’re obviously happy to have the regional team win for the first time in three years”, says Head Coach Coleman Lukas.

Hajarna was looking for two wins.
They went home empty handed.
“We got a lot of work to do”, says Coleman Lukas.

Hajarna took on the same team they beat last season to stay in the Elite series. This time though, it was a whole new ball game.

Botkyrka got started early in the first game. The home team team scored five runs in the first inning to give Hajarna a wake up call. Fighting back, Hajarna came within striking distance but this one was not meant to be. Botkyrka eventually took the game 15-5 in 8 innings.

The second one was a different story. Hajarna went up 3-0 early and the bats were on fire. Botkyrka fought back and eventually took the lead. When the 9th inning started, the home team was up 12-6 and it looked to be a blowout yet again.

But in the top of the 9th, Hajarna swam back to life. Göteborg rallied to score six runs to tie it up. This was, however, not Hajarnas day. A base hit and two intentional walks later loaded the bases and Hajarna was looking for and inning ending double play. The end result was a walk and Botkyrka could celebrate a second win.

“There’s good things and bad things but this is the start of the season and I saw a lot of things I liked going forward” says head coach Coleman Lukas.

The 2015 season starts like the last one ended.
A doubleheader against Botkyrka.
“We’re going to have a great season,” says Jason Norderum.

The long trip up to Seagull Park in Stockholm probably won’t feel as long as it did last season. Jason Norderum is excited about the club.

“So far, it’s a completely different feel as far as team energy and chemistry goes. And it’s a good feeling!”

The club’s other import, Coleman Lukas, has taken the reins as the Sharks’ head coach and if you’ve been out to Shark Park this spring, you’ve seen a whole new ball club.
“Coleman deserves a lot of credit, if not all of it. He is a great head coach and is doing things that a ball club should be doing and he’s doing it with a positive attitude.”

The 2014 season was not what you would call a success. Although it did end on a positive note with the Sharks taking a doubleheader at Shark Park to stay in the Elite series. But with the Karlskoga Bats withdrawal for this season, Botkyrka too will play Elite series baseball in 2015.
“Yes, I remember them from last season. They have a lot of big guys taking big swings and are looking to hit the ball out of the yard. It will be a challenge,” Norderum says.

The regional team opens up the season against the Malmö Pilots on Sunday. The Pilots won the southern regional series last season but Norderum is going down to Malmö looking for wins.
“Malmö is always a very competitive group of guys. But the regional team is on a good path, everybody is excited, everybody has improved. I think Malmö is gonna be in for a big surprise when the Sharks roll into town.”

The Sharks were heading for Karlskoga for the first round of play down series. In 2013 the managed to win the third and deciding game away in Alby. Alby eventually lost to Sölvesborg who took Albys spot in the Elitseries.
Karlskoga almost managed to avoid a playdown spot but Leksand lost one game to Sölvesborg in the last round and forced Karlskoga to the first playdown round instead of to the play offs for the cup.

Althought he forecast projected light rain, the weather decided against. It was pouring at times and when the light rain took over it was just enough to keep the field wet. Since the teams were running out of days to play the series, they did all they could to get at least one game going. The field in Karlskoga is located on a hill of rocks and sand, perfect to let the water go quickly. That gave the Karlskoga team some hopes to get a game going despite of the puddles on the field, if it just would stop rain.
The teams were in luck. Some time after 1600 it was decided that they should get a game going and around 1700 the Umpire called out “Play ball!”.

Karlskoga Pitcher Parker Talbert was phenominal on the hill the six innings he were allowed to pitch. Niklas Hellerstedt started for Gothenburg and Christian Göttlisher took over after Niklas got in trouble after a few innings. The Karlskoga was up 14-1 after six innings. Gothenburg was forced to score at least four runs in top seven to keep the game alive. Some time there, Karlskoga did some substitutions, removing two solid players from the line up adding younger players. Gothenburg moved Patric Laffin from catching to center field adding Lundborg for catching. Khazal took over third from Weidolf. Previously Ted Bratsberg substituted Niklas Ekström on first base.
The Sharks rose to the occasion and gave Karlskoga pitching a hard time scoring just enough runs to keep the game alive and continued to score two more runs in the eight! Gothenburg entered top eight with five runs for and 14 against. Karlskoga was forced to a pitcher change when the coach for the second time entered the field in top eight with two outs and left the ball to Karlskoga veteran Kent Karlsson with Karlskoga ahead .
The Sharks got the upper hand on Karlsson directly in the top ninth by producing solid hits from the burning hot Gothenburg bats. Karlskoga was still ahead eight runs but the Sharks wasn’t interested in giving up. The first five at bats all scored. Fredrik Lundborg finally got to third with two outs, representing the tying run after a phenominal comeback by the Sharks. The go-ahead-run was on second represented by Göttlisher after 10 at bats for the inning. Karlskoga managed two outs during the inning. Kahzal was at the plate for the second time of the inning and everyone was ready for the miracle! It was in some sense really well deserved after picking up the game almost tying it despite they were down 13 runs not even three innings ago. In some other sense, Karlskoga deserved to walk off with the win in game one. Kahzal hits a groundball to third which manages the paly to first for the game. So very close for an awesome comeback.

The Sharks lost the second game of the series 12-2 that was eventually played when the rain calmed down on Sunday. This puts the Sharks in the second round of the down series.

The Sharks must now play either Botkyrka or Rättvik for a second chance to stay in the Eliteseries. The rain has caused some trouble for the commissioner of finding a way to play all games. The current idea is to play the qualifying games on Sunday. Actually, it looks like whatever scenario we’re looking at, we’re playing ball in Shark Park on Sunday! See you there for games that means a lot for the future of the ball club.

You could meet up with Shark representatives at Kulturkalaset in Gothenburg Thursday and Friday. Try out what a bat feels like or play catch with a friend or someone with the Sharks.

You could find the Sharks in Trädgårdsföreningen between 13:00 and 14:30.

Check out the official poster. See you there?