Senior Matt Amidon slides safely into home in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Toppers.

Toppers down Leroy 10-6

[May 01, 2015]  MOUNT PULASKI - Mount Pulaski scored five runs in the fourth inning to lead 10-1, but the Panthers battled back in the late innings.

The Panthers had struck first with a run in the first inning off starting pitcher Brett Huff to lead 1-0, but the Toppers pounced back in the bottom of the inning with four runs.

Blake Collier started the game with a walk and he stole second and advanced to third on a fielder's choice by Huff. Michael Lowery's line drive base hit to left field scored Collier easily for the tie. Cleanup hitter Beau Collier drilled a triple to right field that allowed Lowery to trot home to make the score 2-1. Beau Collier scored on a wild pitch to add to the lead. Meanwhile Matt Amidon, who leads the team and is among area leaders in stolen bases with 20, walked and stole two bases and scored on an error to give Huff a nice 4-1 lead moving to the second inning.

Huff would go on to pitch scoreless innings until the sixth inning, when he allowed a double and a walk and would be relieved by Blake Collier.

The Toppers, however, enjoyed adding to the lead in their half of the third inning when Aaron Durchholz crushed the ball for a double and scored Amidon, who had singled in his earlier at bat. Mount Pulaski added to their 5-1 lead in the fourth inning as Eli Griesheim and Blake Collier each smacked solid singles to the outfield and that set up runners at the corners for Huff. Huff quickly delivered a two-run single to pad the lead at 7-1. Lowery's fielder's choice moved Huff to second, while the next batter, Beau Collier, walked. Amidon reached on an error as the Panthers defense showed signs of struggling and this allowed Huff to score the Toppers eighth run. Brayden Curry followed with an RBI single and then Amidon came home to score the Toppers tenth run on a wild pitch.

The Panthers took advantage of a tiring Huff, who had just pitched Tuesday for the win over Hartsburg-Emden, in the top of the sixth inning. Huff was relieved after giving up the double and walk, but the first batter Blake Collier faced tagged him for a base hit, loading the bases. Following a force out at home, the next Panther batter cleared the bases with a triple to right field, making the score 10-4. The Toppers eventually escaped the inning without allowing any more runs, but the top of the seventh inning would be a little shaky again for Mount Pulaski.
Following two quick outs, the Panthers loaded the bases on a walk, single and error. Another error and walk led to two more runs before a grounder to the third baseman, Griesheim, would end the game.

The Toppers had managed to sneak away with the 10-6 win over the 13-4 Panthers.

Mount Pulaski improves to 11-9 behind Brett Huff's team-leading fourth win of the season, two coming just this week. The Toppers are home again tonight at 4:30 pm versus Springfield Lutheran at Bob Gasaway Field.

[Teena Lowery]