Toppers sting Hornets in 11-9
comeback win
[April 22, 2026]
The Mount Pulaski Hilltoppers were trailing 9-2 in the fourth
inning on Tuesday night versus the Heyworth Hornets when all of a
sudden they exploded for six runs in the fifth inning and then
followed that up with a three-run sixth inning.
The Hilltoppers held the Hornets scoreless for the final three
innings and went on to celebrate a terrific 11-9 comeback win.
The Hornets owned the first four innings of the game, getting on the
scoreboard repeatedly.
In the first inning the Hornets slugged two doubles and a grounder
that scored a run.
Mount Pulaski was able to retaliate with two runs in the bottom of
the first as Preston Cowan, Jaeden Jackson and Tyler Cross each
singled. Luke Martin walked and scored in the inning. Cowan scored
on Jackson’s single. Martin scored on the single by Cross.
In the second inning the Hornets plated a run to tie the game on a
single and a double.
A triple, a walk and a single put the Hornets up 3-2 in the third
inning.
The Hilltoppers wasted a lead-off double by Cowan in the third
inning.
Heyworth put together a big fourth inning, scoring six runs. The
Hilltoppers helped them out with a couple errors but the rest of the
runs they earned with two doubles and a single.
Mount Pulaski was retired on three strikeouts in the bottom of the
fourth inning and that made the 9-2 deficit even harder to take.
The Hilltoppers got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the
fifth inning.
With two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Hilltoppers
took advantage of the Hornets really taking a nosedive. Three errors
and two walks in the inning worked in Mount Pulaski’s favor. When
Tucker Fitzpatrick came up to bat, the Hilltoppers were down 9-7 and
he crushed the ball to left field for a run-scoring double.
Mount Pulaski was gaining momentum in the now 9-8 ballgame. After
the third out in the inning, someone saw lightning and there was the
mandatory weather delay.
Thankfully, the brief rest did not have a negative impact on the
Hilltoppers. They hit the field ready to take care of business with
Preston Cowan on the mound.
Leaving two Hornets stranded on the bases, the Hilltoppers got the
three outs needed in the top of the sixth inning.
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Mount Pulaski loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning as
Luke Martin and Jaeden Jackson reached on singles and Tyler Cross
took one for the team and got a free pass to first base. There would
be two outs, however, when Caden Wyler stepped up to bat. He hung
tough in his at-bat, even fouling off one on the 3-2 count, before
smashing a single up the middle. Martin and pinch runner, Wesley
Bobell, each scored on Wyler’s hit and Cross was able to come around
to score on an error by the centerfielder.
Mount Pulaski took an 11-9 lead into the seventh inning, where the
Hornets had one more shot at the Hilltoppers.
This Heyworth team just came back from a 12-0
deficit on Saturday to beat Roanoke-Benson 14-12. That’s a huge
comeback and no doubt the Hornets had a repeat on their minds when
the seventh inning started.
Carter Clark had winning on his mind when the Hilltoppers took the
field and he was handed the ball for the last inning. Clark was
terrific on the mound. He faced the minimum of three batters and
struck out two of them. The guy in the middle of the order flew out
to Preston Cowan in left field. It only took sixteen pitches and a
matter of minutes and the 11-9 ballgame belonged to Mount Pulaski.
Preston Cowan got the win for the Hilltoppers. He was the middle
reliever who threw two and one-third innings of scoreless ball. He
allowed three hits and three walks and struck out two batters. Cowan
was also one of the stars in the batter’s box. He was 2-for-4 with
two runs scored.
Jaeden Jackson was also a hitting star for the Hilltoppers with a
2-for-4 performance that included a run batted in and a run scored.
Luke Martin, Tyler Cross, Caden Wyler and Tucker Fitzpatrick each
had one hit for Mount Pulaski.
Luke Martin started the game on the mound for the Hilltoppers.
Martin threw three and two-thirds innings, giving up eight hits and
nine runs. Three of the runs were earned. He walked three and struck
out four.
The Hornets shortstop, Jackson Law, who went 2-for-5 in the game,
took over on the mound in the sixth inning and suffered the loss.
Law had a solid day at the plate with a single and a triple but the
Hilltoppers tagged him hard on the mound. Law gave up those three
runs in the sixth inning that made all the difference in the game.
The Hilltoppers (9-5) will travel to Glasford on Thursday to take on
the Illini Bluffs Tigers at 4:30 p.m. |
