High School Boys Baseball
Hilltoppers crushing the competition on the diamond
Team off to a hot start and a 5-1 record for the week

 

[April 03, 2023] 

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

The Hilltoppers hosted Illini Central to start the week and used three pitchers to shut out the Cougars 13-0.

A.J. Bailey (1-0) was the winning pitcher, tossing two innings and striking out five batters.

Luke Martin pitched two innings of middle relief, striking out three batters.

Chance Payne pitched the final inning, striking out three batters.

Chance Payne led the offense by going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Evan Cooper and Bailey also recorded multi-hit games, with Cooper slugging a double and Bailey crushing the ball for a triple.

Ethan Payne and Clay Aylesworth each had a hit to round out the Hilltoppers offense.

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

The Hilltoppers were defeated 6-5 in an away game by a very good Okaw Valley.

Mount Pulaski took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, but a six-run fifth inning by the Timberwolves was too much for the Hilltoppers to overcome. The Hilltoppers did add four runs in the top of the seventh inning, still falling short of a victory.

Evan Cooper and Jackson Fricke were each 2-for-4 at the plate for Mount Pulaski.

Landon Smith, Chance Payne and Clay Aylesworth each had a hit for the Hilltoppers.

Landon Smith took the loss for Mount Pulaski. He gave up six runs on five hits in four and one-third innings of work. He struck out seven batters.

Cooper pitched an inning and two-thirds in relief, striking out four batters.

Thursday, March 30, 2023

The Hilltoppers bounced back to crush Decatur LSA 27-1 and pounded out 18 hits over four innings.

A.J. Bailey, Landon Smith, Jackson Fricke, Clay Aylesworth, Jaeden Jackson and Eric Cooper each had multi-hits in the win. Eric Cooper also drove in a team-leading four runs.

Eric Cooper (1-0) picked up the win for Mount Pulaski. He tossed three innings, striking out six batters.

Liam Smith pitched an inning in relief and struck out two batters.

Friday, March 31, 2023

The Hilltoppers defeated Clinton 12-1 in six innings on Friday night.

Jackson Fricke was 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Mount Pulaski offense.

Landon Smith was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and 3 runs scored.

Chance Payne was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

Eric Cooper was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Evan Cooper, Luke Martin and Liam Smith also had hits for Mount Pulaski.

Evan Cooper (2-0) earned the win for Mount Pulaski. Cooper allowed one run on five hits over five innings. He struck out six batters.

Luke Martin pitched an inning in relief and struck out one batter.

Saturday, April 1, 2023

The Hilltoppers braved the frigid temperature and the cold wind on April Fool’s Day and defeated Decatur Eisenhower 21-3 in four innings.

Mount Pulaski’s offense tallied 20 hits off Panthers’ pitching, with Clay Aylesworth and Chance Payne each having three hits.

Landon Smith, Jackson Fricke and Eric Cooper had two hits apiece.

A.J. Bailey, Ethan Payne, Eric Cooper, Tucker Fitzpatrick, Tyler Cross, Franklin Wade, Luke Martin, and Jaeden Jackson also recorded hits.

Liam Smith (1-0) earned the win for the Hilltoppers. He worked three and one-third innings, allowing three hits and three runs. He struck out six batters.

Chance Payne pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief.

The Hilltoppers have another busy week with four games on the schedule.

The team is now 6-1 on the season.

[Teena Lowery]