Payne stays hot as Mount Pulaski
blanks Lanphier 16-0
[April 28, 2025]
Chance Payne continues to have a sensational senior season
for the Mount Pulaski Hilltoppers.
On Saturday versus Springfield Lanphier, Payne slugged a double and
a triple while driving in five runs to lead the Hilltoppers to a
16-0 victory at home. Payne currently leads the Hilltoppers squad
with a .512 batting average. He leads the team with 18 RBIs, 9
doubles, 21 runs scored and he is tied with Aaron Volle for two home
runs on the season. In addition, Payne leads the team with an
on-base percentage of .633 and he’s slugging .907, bringing his OPS
to 1.540. Solid numbers over 60 plate appearances.
Saturday was also the second game in two days where the Hilltoppers
pitching staff held the opponents to just one hit.
Chase Roberts earned the win on the mound versus Lanphier. He tossed
four innings of one-hit baseball and struck out eight batters. He
walked no one, while pitching to just 13 batters.
Mount Pulaski only needed three innings of offense to tear up the
Lions. Eight hits were spread over those three innings.
Preston Cowan drove in a run in the first inning on a single. Aaron
Volle also singled in the first. Mount Pulaski used a couple walks,
a sacrifice fly and an error to help run the first inning up to 3-0.
Eight Hilltoppers crossed home plate in the bottom of the second
inning. Carter Clark, Liam Smith and Eric Cooper each had singles
and Chance Payne had a double to get the Mount Pulaski offense
rolling. The Lions gifted Mount Pulaski five walks in the inning and
even committed an error as 13 batters were sent to the plate,
driving the score to a whopping 11-0 early on.
Roberts struck out the side in the third inning.
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Payne’s bases-loaded triple was the big blow of the third inning. It
came on a 1-2 count and was driven to right field, scoring Cowan,
Kretzinger and Cooper. Tyler Cross added a sacrifice fly to drive in
a run in the inning and a bases loaded walk to Kolin Gibbs plated
another run, bringing Mount Pulaski’s total to 16 runs.
The Lions only hit was achieved in the top of the fourth inning with
two outs. A fly ball to center field ended the game with Mount
Pulaski on top 16-0.
Chance Payne and Preston Cowan each had two hits for Mount Pulaski.
Eric Cooper, Liam Smith, Aaron Volle and Carter Clark each had one
hit.
Now is a good time to mention the superb season sophomore Aaron
Volle is having for the Hilltoppers. Volle is second on the team in
hitting, batting .429 in 17 games. His OPS is 1.125 and he leads the
team with 24 hits. His 17 singles are a team-best and he’s added
five doubles and two home runs. Volle is tied for second place with
Carter Clark and Eric Cooper with 15 RBIs. Volle has scored 20 runs
and has 64 plate appearances on the season.
Other Hilltoppers batting over .300 are: Preston Cowan (.378),
Carter Clark (.349), Eric Cooper (.333) and Chase Roberts (.310).
Liam Smith is flirting with a .300 batting average, holding steady
at .292. Smith leads the team with 13 stolen bases.
The Hilltoppers (14-3) will host Jacksonville Routt Catholic on
Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
[Teena Lowery]
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