High School Boys Baseball
Mount Pulaski beats Central A & M 17-3

 

[April 25, 2024] 

For the third straight game the Mount Pulaski Hilltoppers offense has put up big numbers on the board, outscoring their opponents 54-4 in this current stretch.

Wednesday afternoon the Hilltoppers disposed of the Central A & M Raiders 17-1 in five innings.

Aaron Volle earned the win on the mound for Mount Pulaski. He worked five innings, allowing three runs and three hits. He struck out eight and walked one.

Volle even helped himself at the plate by going 1-for-2 with a run scored and two runs driven in.

Volle got plenty of run support from his team, including his catcher, Franklin Wade, who was 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

Luke Martin continued his hot streak by going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Martin crushed a triple in the opening inning.

Chance Payne and Tyler Cross also had a great day at the plate.

Payne was 2-for-3 with four runs scored and three RBIs. His two hits were doubles.

Cross was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Landon Smith and Preston Cowan each had a hit for Mount Pulaski and they each drew two walks.

Central A & M scored three runs in the top of the first inning but their lead was relinquished quickly in the bottom of the inning when the Hilltoppers came to play.

Landon Smith led off the first inning with a double for Mount Pulaski and he was followed by Franklin Wade, who walked. Payne stood in the batter’s box next and he doubled, bringing home Wade. Smith had already scored ahead of Wade thanks to a stolen base and a passed ball. Payne was able to score on a passed ball, too and this tied the game. Luke Martin put Mount Pulaski on top for good when he tripled and scored on yet another passed ball.

Wade singled to start the Hilltoppers second inning and after a walk to Payne, Martin brought his teammates home on a single, extending the lead to 6-3.

Three walks and an error spelled trouble for the Raiders in the third inning. Adding to their woes were Volle and Payne, who singled and doubled. Five runs would score in the inning, with Payne picking up two more RBIs on his double.

Six more hits in the bottom of the fourth inning helped the Hilltoppers score six more runs. Cross led off the inning with a double to center and incidentally he would bat again in the inning and smash a single to third. Volle gave his team a 13-3 lead after he singled to right, driving in Cross and Cowan. Wade also added an RBI single to extend the lead. Liam Smith hit a sacrifice fly to score Payne with the Hilltoppers final run of the game. Martin and Cowan had the other two hits in the inning for Mount Pulaski.

Volle had little trouble in the top of the fifth inning, shutting down the Raiders on two ground outs and a strike out.

The 17-3 win over Central A & M gives Mount Pulaski a 17-1 record on the season.

Mount Pulaski will play Springfield High School today at 4:30 p.m. in Springfield.

[Teena Lowery]