Mount Pulaski Hilltoppers defeat Illini Bluffs 13-3
~ Drew Martin pitches a one-hitter to shut down the Tigers

 

[April 23, 2021]  Mount Pulaski hosted Illini Bluffs on Thursday afternoon at Veteran’s Park with senior Drew Martin taking the mound for the Hilltoppers. Martin (2-0) would pick up the win and allow just one earned run on one hit. He struck out eight batters in the game and walked five. Evan Cooper threw just five pitches in relief of Martin, recording two outs to escape a fifth inning jam.

Martin was throwing heat early but found himself in a first inning jam. After the first batter reached on a hit by pitch, the second batter reached on an error. Martin would strike out the next two batters and almost get out of the inning unscathed. The no. 5 hitter smacked a two-run single to right field and the Tigers took a 2-0 lead. Martin would strike out the next batter to escape further damage.

In the Hilltoppers half of the first inning, Evan Cooper drew a walk and Martin followed that up with a single to right field. The runners advanced to second and third on the throw back into the infield and the Hilltoppers were threatening early. Landon Smith’s groundout to the shortstop allowed Cooper to score the first Hilltoppers run. Gavin Smith followed with a single to left field, scoring Martin with the tying run. After a walk to Grant Davis, Gavin Smith stole second and third with Lucas Kuhlman in the batter’s box. Gavin Smith scored the go ahead run for Mount Pulaski on an error by the Tigers catcher. Kuhlman would end the at-bat with a strikeout but the Hilltoppers held a 3-2 lead heading into the top of the second.

Martin settled in during the second inning and quickly recorded two strikeouts and a groundout to the shortstop to retire the side. Mount Pulaski added a run in the bottom of the second inning. A.J. Bailey’s two-out double to the left center gap was crushed and then Cooper came up to bat and smacked a single to right field to score Bailey. Mount Pulaski took a 4-2 lead into the third inning.

In the top of the third inning, Martin retired the first batter on a groundout to second. After walking the next batter, Martin would throw him out trying to steal second base. Martin struck out the third batter he faced in the inning and Mount Pulaski’s 4-2 lead was intact.

The bottom of the third inning would be a big inning for the Hilltoppers. Landon Smith walked and stole second base to lead things off. With the Tigers retiring the next two batters, it would be up to Kuhlman to do the damage. Kuhlman sent the ball to the left field fence for an RBI double. Landon Smith scored and it was 5-2 Mount Pulaski. Garrett Fitzpatrick would then reach base on an error. With runners at first and third, Clay Aylesworth absolutely crushed the ball down the left field line, scoring both Kuhlman and Fitzpatrick. The Hilltoppers lead was now 7-2. Aylesworth landed on second base with Bailey due up. Bailey hit a blooper to left field that fell in for a base hit and Aylesworth came hustling home to give the Hilltoppers an 8-2 lead. Bailey was just out at second trying to stretch the hit into a double to end the inning.

Martin worked quickly in the top of the fourth inning to shut down the Tigers. He got a strikeout and a groundout in a matter of minutes, then got a bit wild. A walk, a wild pitch and another walk put runners at first and second. He would strike out the fifth batter to escape the inning.

The only excitement in the Hilltoppers half of the fourth inning was Martin in the batter’s box getting plunked in the thigh by a pitch. Martin shook it off and sprinted to first base. He would proceed to steal second base and third base, but get left stranded.

Martin found himself in a bit of a jam in the fifth inning. Two hit batters and a walk loaded the bases for the Tigers. Martin then issued a bases loaded walk to allow the Tigers to score. Cooper came in to relieve Martin on the mound and he quickly got out of the inning without further damage. Cooper got the next batter to fly out to the centerfielder, Gavin Smith. Smith then threw out the runner trying to score at home for the double play. Mount Pulaski escaped what could have been a big inning for the Tigers with an 8-3 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth inning the Hilltoppers cranked out more offense thus leading to the shortened game. Davis started things off with a single up the middle. He would advance to second on a bad attempted pickoff throw. After Kuhlman drew a walk, Fitzpatrick stepped in the batter’s box to show a bunt. The catcher then threw wild to third base to try to catch Davis stealing. The bad throw ended up in left field and Davis came racing home to score. Kuhlman eventually took third on a passed ball. Fitzpatrick then slugged a base hit that hopped into the left field grass and Kuhlman came hustling home. With the score 10-3, Aylesworth smoked the ball to third and the third baseman couldn’t handle it. Aylesworth made it to first safely and Fitzpatrick landed on second. Bailey flew out to center for the first out of the inning, but Fitzpatrick tagged up and hustled to third. Aylesworth stole second just ahead of a walk to Cooper that loaded the bases for Martin. Martin tagged a long fly ball to deep center that was good for a sacrifice fly, scoring Fitzpatrick. With two outs and an 11-3 lead, Landon Smith stepped to the plate. Cooper stole second to allow the Hilltoppers two runners in scoring position and it was Landon Smith who would deliver and send the Tigers back home early. Smith took a 3-1 count and popped it into shallow center, falling in between the shortstop and the outfielders. Aylesworth and Cooper came scrambling home, giving the Hilltoppers a 13-3 win in five innings.

Offensively Mount Pulaski tallied 11 hits. A.J. Bailey and Clay Aylesworth each had two hits for the Hilltoppers. Every player in the starting lineup recorded a hit for Mount Pulaski.

Landon Smith led the Hilltoppers with 3 RBIs. Clay Aylesworth had 2 RBIs for Mount Pulaski.

Evan Patterson recorded the only hit for Illini Bluffs.

Mount Pulaski improves to 3-0 on the season.

Mount Pulaski will host Fisher Saturday at 10 a.m. at Veteran’s Park.

[Teena Lowery]