High School Boys Baseball
Mount Pulaski wins Regional Championship


 

[May 20, 2024] 

The Hilltoppers won the Class 1A Regional Championship in Decatur on Saturday over the St. Teresa Bulldogs.

It was a pitcher’s duel with Mount Pulaski coming out on top by a final score of 3-1.

Chance Payne started the game for Mount Pulaski and he worked two and one-third innings. He was masterful on the mound again, allowing zero runs and zero hits. He struck out seven and walked five.

Payne was relieved by Luke Martin, who worked four and two-thirds innings and gave up three hits and one run. Martin struck out seven and walked three.

Landon Smith’s RBI single in the third inning put Mount Pulaski up 1-0. After stealing second and third, Smith scored on a passed ball to give Mount Pulaski a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth inning the Bulldogs scored on a Mount Pulaski error to cut the lead in half, 2-1 the score.

Franklin Wade drove in a run in the Hilltoppers fifth inning to extend the lead to 3-1.

The Hilltoppers were able to end the top of the sixth inning on a double play and keep the 3-1 lead intact.

In the top of the seventh inning a grounder to first and two strikeouts by Luke Martin on the mound sent Mount Pulaski into a championship celebration.

This is Mount Pulaski’s fourth regional championship under Coach Joel Washko.

Washko, who is in his tenth season as the head coach, offered these comments following the win.

“It wasn’t easy yesterday or necessarily the cleanest of wins but we battled and did what we needed to do to win,” said Washko. “We had some things not go our way in the game for sure. Chance Payne having to come off the mound in the third was a tough break. He was having trouble gripping the ball due to an issue with one of his fingers and so we brought in Luke Martin. Luke didn’t skip a beat and threw really well for us. He pitched out of a couple really tough jams including one with the bases loaded and nobody out in the sixth. It was a real gutsy performance. We struggled at the plate for the most part but got a couple of timely hits from Landon Smith in the third and Franklin Wade in the fifth for an important insurance run. We had some really great energy from our kids in the dugout which is something we will need to carry over to Wednesday.”

Mount Pulaski had five hits versus the Bulldogs.

Chance Payne, Landon Smith, Franklin Wade and Aaron Volle each had singles.

Luke Martin had a double and scored a run.

Mount Pulaski improved their record to 25-3.

The Hilltoppers will play Armstrong at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday in the Arcola Sectional semifinal.

[Teena Lowery]