High School Boys
Baseball
Mount Pulaski defeats Senators 3-1 in extras
Luke Martin hits a two-run blast off the scoreboard
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[April 27, 2024]
On
paper it was just a regular season baseball game (scheduled at the
last minute) on a Thursday afternoon between Class 1A Mount Pulaski
and Class 3A Springfield High School but in person at Robin Roberts
Stadium it was one incredible matchup beginning with the starting
pitchers, Chance Payne and Sam Hartl.
The game featured 31 total strikeouts, nine innings of sitting on
the edge of your seat action, six hits between the two teams and one
game-deciding home run off the Lucky Horseshoes scoreboard in the
top of the ninth inning to break a 1-1 tie game.
Mount Pulaski head coach Joel Washko said it best.
“A great high school baseball game,” said Washko. “Outstanding
pitching from both sides. Chance (Payne) has had some great
performances this year but this maybe was his most impressive. He
really did a great job against some very good Senator bats. He had
very good command and mixed things up very well. I think he
absolutely should be in the discussion as one of the top players in
our part of the state. We had a hard time at the plate, but had some
really timely hitting in the fourth inning and ninth inning. Eric
Cooper’s double was our first hit of the game. I actually thought
Tucker Fitzpatrick stealing third prior to that hit by Eric was a
huge energy boost. Tucker got a great jump, did what we practice,
and you could feel our energy rise after that. And then in the ninth
inning, Chance had a great at bat, eight pitches and then lined one
over the right fielder for a double. And then for Luke to come up in
that spot and drive it over the fence against a really good arm,
really amazing. I don’t think Luke is rattled by any sort of
situation. He also did a great job in relief, especially in the
eighth inning, tremendous poise. I also thought Franklin Wade did an
excellent job behind the plate. Throwing a runner out stealing early
certainly deterred a few would-be runners. Overall, just an
excellent win. I am really proud of how we battled and the
consistent energy we had. It felt like a playoff game and it was
exactly the type of game we needed to play.”
It was exactly the kind of test the Hilltoppers needed at this point
in the season. A lot of their games have been blowouts, with the
exception of the one loss to Lexington. But without a doubt the
players needed a close game to test their resilience and each and
every player proved their ability to step up and play.
The Senators scored a run in the first inning off Payne but the
damage could’ve been worse had it not been for catcher Franklin
Wade. Wade threw out the lead-off hitter, Enrico Veach, who had
reached on a single, as he was trying to steal second. The no. 3
hitter, Seth Impson, walked and he stole second and after a pick-off
attempt landed in centerfield, Impson raced around to score the
first run of the game. Payne managed to strike out the no. 2 and no.
5 hitters in the inning and the 1-0 lead was all the Senators would
have to enjoy for three innings. The no. 4 hitter, Ethan Rutter,
also had a single in the inning. The Senators had just two hits in
the game and those were in that first inning.
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In the top of the fourth inning, Mount Pulaski finally got a
baserunner when Payne reached on an error by the centerfielder. The
Hilltoppers finally got a run when Eric Cooper cracked a double to
center and Tucker Fitzpatrick, the courtesy runner for Payne, scored
the tying run. Fitzpatrick had previously taken second on a wild
pitch and he also stole third while Cooper was in the batter’s box.
As Washko alluded to in his comments, this sequence of events was
huge in so many ways and led to the game being tied at 1-1.
The next four and half innings would be scoreless baseball with
Payne hitting a wasted double in the top of the sixth inning.
The bottom of the sixth inning would be a three up and three down
kind of inning for the Senators, with Payne striking out two of
those batters.
The only excitement in the top of the seventh inning was Tyler Cross
getting nailed in the kneecap with a pitch. The three outs were
pretty quick and Cross stayed in the game fortunately.
Payne exited the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning with one
out, having thrown 104 pitches.
Luke Martin entered the game and recorded one quick out, issued a
walk that led to nothing and then he caught a pop fly near the
mound. Martin breathed a sigh of relief after the catch and came off
the field ready to do battle in extras.
The top of the eighth inning was not what Mount Pulaski had hoped
for. Three swinging strikeouts and Veach sent the Hilltoppers back
to the dugout to grab their gloves to take the field again.
[to top of second column] |
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The Senators managed to get two ducks on the pond
in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out, two walks were
issued by Martin, but Washko stuck with the sophomore. The score
remained intact after an inning-ending strikeout.
The top of the ninth inning started off with Payne making his way to
the batter’s box. That’s a solid way to lead off an inning. He was
quickly down in the count 0-2 but after two foul balls and three
pitches out of the zone, he was looking to crush a 3-2 count and he
did just that. Payne tattooed the ball into right field and hustled
his way into second base for a double. He got to remain on the base
paths, having taken over first base when Martin took the mound, and
this was a perfect scenario when “Lukey” stepped up to the plate.
Martin took the first pitch for a ball, watched the second pitch go
by for a strike, then casually eyed the third pitch for a ball
before setting his sights on the next pitch. He lifted that front
leg as the pitch came in and got his whole body in on the action.
The hips don’t lie. He turned on that pitch and just crushed it as
the dugout started to go crazy. Martin was off and running quickly
out of the batter’s box, as the ball looked to go deep but was it
going to get out of the ballpark? Sure enough, it did! The umpire
signaled home run as the ball ricocheted off the scoreboard in left
field and Martin rounded the bases, stomping directly on home plate
as his teammates waited to congratulate him. The two-run blast put
Mount Pulaski up 3-1. The Senators retired the next three
Hilltoppers but as Martin took the mound for the bottom of the ninth
inning, his adrenaline was pumping and his feet were barely touching
the ground.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/Apr/27/images/ads/current/chicagost_sda_SHG_2024.png)
The bottom of the ninth started in what could be
classified as typical Luke Martin fashion: Ball one and then hit
batter. It happens. But that’s all water under the bridge after two
strikeouts and a fielder’s choice ended the game.
The final score in extras was 3-1 and Mount Pulaski is now 18-1 on
the season.
Mount Pulaski marches to the big city (where parking is still a big
problem) and knocks off a very good Senators team, led by the 2021
Class 3A state champion coach, Jim Steinwart. Steinwart is in his
37th year at the helm for the Senators and to date his career record
is 722 wins and 576 losses. He is a legend.
The Hilltoppers coach, Joel Washko, is moving towards legendary
status himself. He is currently in his 10th season at Mount Pulaski
High School. He now has a career record of 160 wins and 98 losses.
When the Senators were bringing home a Class 3A state championship
in 2021, the Hilltoppers were bringing home a fourth place finish in
Class 1A that year. It’s not everyday a Class 1A school gets to play
a Class 3A school so this was a fun experience.
It’s kind of hard to say who had more fun, Payne or Martin. Both
were exceptional and instrumental in the win.
Payne was 2-for-4 with a run scored. His two hits were doubles.
Martin was 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs on that home run
off the scoreboard. That was Martin’s fourth home run of the season.
Eric Cooper had a double and an RBI to get Mount Pulaski pumped up
early on.
All extra base hits today for the Hilltoppers.
Chance Payne pitched another masterpiece for Mount Pulaski. He
worked six and one-third innings, allowing two hits and one unearned
run. He walked three and struck out eleven batters.
Luke Martin (3-0) earned the win in relief. He worked two and
two-thirds innings, allowing three walks and striking out four
batters. He did not give up a hit or a run but he did hit that one
guy.
The Senators edged out the Hilltoppers in strikeouts, 16 to 15.
The middle reliever, Enrico Veach, took the loss. He worked two and
two-thirds innings, allowing two hits and two earned runs. He struck
out five Hilltoppers.
The starter, Sam Hartl, worked five and one-third innings. He
allowed two hits and one unearned run. He walked one and struck out
eight.
Brody Scheffler pitched to three batters in the ninth inning, after
the damage was already done by Payne and Martin. Scheffler recorded
three strikeouts.
Excellent win, Hilltoppers!
Weather permitting, there will be baseball today at Cornerstone
Christian Academy in Bloomington at 4:30 p.m.
But then again, that weather forecast does not look good.
[Teena Lowery] |