Hilltoppers crush Blue Ridge 15-0

[March 29, 2022]  The Mount Pulaski High School baseball team was able to take the field on a windy Friday afternoon at Veterans Park against Blue Ridge last week and with the Hilltoppers offense pounding out 14 hits and scoring 15 runs, the game was over in three innings. 

Mount Pulaski scored eleven times in the first inning. 

Jackson Fricke had a 2-run single and a triple in the first inning. Andrew Bailey crushed a 2-run double. Evan Cooper had an RBI double. Landon Smith smashed an inside-the-park home run that also scored Brayden Killion. The Hilltoppers batted 16 times in the first inning and recorded nine hits off Blue Ridge pitching to jump out to an 11-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second inning, the Hilltoppers started off with three consecutive singles. A grounder to the shortstop by Cooper sent Liam Smith home to score a run and with that being the only run scored in the inning, the Hilltoppers lead was 12-0.

Mount Pulaski loaded the bases again in the bottom of the third inning. Kolin Gibbs drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Lucas Kuhlman to make the score 13-0. Killion was hit by a pitch and this forced in Clay Aylesworth with another run. Cooper then drew a walk to score Michael Stauffer with the final run of the game.  

Mount Pulaski claims the 15-0 win over Blue Ridge in three innings. 

Evan Cooper, Andrew Bailey, Lucas Kuhlman, Jackson Fricke each recorded two hits for the Hilltoppers.

Clay Aylesworth, Liam Smith, Landon Smith, Brayden Killion, Kolin Gibbs and Colt Selinger all had a hit apiece for Mount Pulaski. 

Evan Cooper (1-0) got the win for the Hilltoppers. Cooper tossed three innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit and striking out seven batters on 46 total pitches. 

Mount Pulaski improves to 2-0 on the season.

The Hilltoppers are scheduled to play at Illini Central on Tuesday. The game will start at 4:30 p.m. in Mason City.

[Teena Lowery]