High School Boys Baseball
Mount Pulaski dominates the Lions 18-0
Chance Payne sends a home run to the train tracks


 

[April 22, 2024] 

The Hilltoppers 18-0 win over the Lanphier Lions at Robin Roberts Stadium on Saturday morning was one that junior Chance Payne may never forget.

Payne is having a terrific year on the mound with a 6-0 record and at the plate he’s hitting .429 for the Hilltoppers. Plus he’s no longer looking for that first home run of the season. He got it on Saturday versus the Lions at one of the most historic baseball stadiums in the area and the baseball was even retrieved miles away. Ok, that’s an exaggeration, but when the ball did finally land, it was picked up off the train tracks beyond the right centerfield fence, according to Mount Pulaski coach Joel Washko.

“I would estimate it was over 400 feet,” said Washko, of the two-run shot. “It very well could be the longest home run we’ve had. Really hard to say but it’s definitely in the top three or so for sure. It was good to see him get a hold of one. Chance has had a really good season at the plate so far, but he hadn't quite lifted one like that.”

Payne, who was just named WAND TV’s Athlete of the Week, has bounced back from injuries that plagued his high school career early on so it’s really uplifting to see him doing so well at this point. There is no end in sight to the potential of this great student-athlete.

Back to the rest of the game, the Lions had zero hits and zero runs in four innings against Liam Smith while Mount Pulaski scored 18 runs on 8 hits and 12 walks.

The biggest blast of the day was that monster home run to right field by first baseman Chance Payne. It’s worth repeating.

Mount Pulaski got on the board in the second inning with three runs on one hit. Luke Martin had the only hit, a single, to lead off the inning. Two walks and a ground out allowed Mount Pulaski to score the three runs.

The Hilltoppers third inning was huge. Thirteen runs crossed home plate. The Hilltoppers sent eighteen batters to the plate. The inning was highlighted by the two-run home run by Chance Payne. Key singles in the inning by Franklin Wade, Preston Cowan, Eric Cooper, Liam Smith and Tucker Fitzpatrick contributed to several more runs. The Lions also issued seven walks in the inning and this helped Mount Pulaski to a 16-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth inning Mount Pulaski scored two more times with two outs and absolutely no hits. Two walks, two errors and a hit by pitch gave the Hilltoppers the 18-0 lead and after three quick outs in the Lions half of the fourth inning the game was decided.

Liam Smith (2-0) earned the win for Mount Pulaski. He pitched the entire four innings, giving up zero hits, zero runs and striking out six batters. He walked two.

Preston Cowan led Mount Pulaski at the plate. He was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.

Payne, Martin, Wade, Cooper, Fitzpatrick and Liam Smith completed the Hilltoppers offense by each having one hit.

Mount Pulaski is now 15-1 on the season.

The Hilltoppers play at Springfield Lutheran today at 4:30 p.m.

[Teena Lowery]