Hilltoppers open season with 16-1 win over Central A & M

 

[March 21, 2023]  The Mount Pulaski baseball team played their home opener on Monday afternoon at Bob Gasaway Field and the Hilltoppers crushed the Central A & M Raiders 16-1.

The Hilltoppers offense pounded out 13 hits, with Jackson Fricke, Chance Payne and Liam Smith each recording two hits. Fricke and Landon Smith also homered for the Hilltoppers in the win.

After the Raiders hit a home run in the top of the first inning off starter Evan Cooper, the Hilltoppers went to work in the bottom of the first inning.

Back-to-back doubles by Fricke and Payne put the Hilltoppers in front 3-1 in the first inning. Luke Martin added an RBI single to pad the lead. Clay Aylesworth also slugged an RBI single to center to score Martin. Aylesworth would also make his way around the bases to score, after advancing with a stolen base and two wild pitches. The Hilltoppers led 6-1 as the inning came to an end.
 

In the bottom of the second inning, Payne added an RBI double to increase the lead to 7-1. Payne scored the Hilltoppers eighth run on a wild pitch. After a two-run triple by Liam Smith the Hilltoppers lead was 10-1. Gavin Smith contributed an RBI single to score his brother, Liam Smith, and Mount Pulaski was up by double-digits, 11-1 the score. Evan Cooper’s RBI double plated yet another run, this time scoring A.J. Bailey. The Hilltoppers weren’t finished yet with the no. 3 and no. 4 hitters still due up. Landon Smith, batting third, sent the first Hilltoppers home run ball of the season flying over the centerfield fence. The clean-up hitter, Jackson Fricke, then stepped to the plate and crushed a ball out in left field for a home run. This put Mount Pulaski on top 15-1 in the bottom of the second inning.

With two outs in the bottom of the third inning, Liam Smith reached base on a single. Smith would swipe second base, third base and eventually home. After Smith’s steal of home, the Hilltoppers had a 16-1 lead.

Central A & M did bat in the top of the fourth inning, but reliever Eric Cooper did not allow a run.

Mount Pulaski wins easily 16-1 in their season opener.

Evan Cooper (1-0) was the winning pitcher for Mount Pulaski.

Evan Cooper tossed three innings and allowed one run on two hits. He struck out eight batters.

His younger brother, Eric Cooper, pitched an inning in relief, allowing one hit and striking out one batter.

Gavin Houchins took the loss for Central A & M. He allowed 12 runs on seven hits and struck out one batter.

Mount Pulaski (1-0) is scheduled to play at Nokomis today at 4:30 p.m.

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Teena Lowery

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