Corley and Hayes lead Railsplitters
to 15-5 win over Auburn
[May 16, 2025]
Ashton Corley and Drew Hayes have each had a sensational
senior season and on Thursday versus Auburn they combined for six
hits, six runs and seven RBIs. And they each homered in the 15-5
victory over the Auburn Trojans.
Lincoln coach August Casson had great things to say about both guys,
who have really been consistent in creating the offense early in
games.
Corley bats leadoff for the Railsplitters and he’s currently hitting
.417 with six home runs and 37 runs scored.
“He’s really good,” said Casson of Corley. “It’s very impressive. He
had three hits again tonight and every ball was just destroyed. He’s
a humble kid and a quiet kid. He just does what he does. He can hit.
Even when he gets out, the ball is hit really hard. He’s got a
skillset that’s hard to come by as a high school kid.”
Corley is undecided about playing college baseball at this time, but
he does plan to play summer ball for the Illinois Patriots of
Springfield, said Casson.
On Thursday evening at Mike Curry Field, Corley hit a solo home run
in the bottom of the third inning that went to dead center past the
practice field goal post.
“I’ve never seen a ball hit that far here,” said Casson. “It was a
no-doubter. It had to be way over 400 feet.”
“Drew Hayes has been on fire for us this season,” added Casson. “He
just puts his head down and goes to work everyday. He’s had a great
season for us. We’ve relied on Drew and Ashton because we know what
they can do. They just get it done on the baseball field. They are
just great guys who will be successful at whatever they choose to do
in life.”
On Thursday night, they chose to hit baseballs.
Hayes hit a home run to left with a runner on base in the bottom of
the first inning to give the Railsplitters a 2-0 advantage over the
Trojans. He jumped on the first pitch and hit it out.
The Trojans tied the game in the third inning by getting two
singles, a double and a triple off starter Kane Komnick.
Corley was a bit more patient in his at-bat in the bottom of the
third inning, more patient than Hayes that is. But Corley got the
same result. Leading off the inning, Corley let the pitcher waste
three balls and then got caught looking at a strike when he decided
to crush the next pitch over that centerfield fence. It was quite
the sight like Casson described. Corley even flashed a smile
rounding third. He put the Railsplitters in front for good with that
one swing.
After a walk and a double by Hayes, Parker Graue would drive in the
next run with a ground out. Brady Miller also got an RBI in the
inning when he drew a bases loaded walk. The Railsplitters were up
5-2 when the third inning came to a close.
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Ashton Corley and Drew Hayes each homered in the 15-5 win over
Auburn. Photo by Molly Hayes
A walk and two doubles in the Trojans fourth inning plated two runs.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Graue and Corley drove in runs
on singles and Austin Lucas drove in two runs with a double. A
couple more bases loaded walks and a wild pitch helped Lincoln plate
more runs in the inning. When the dust settled, eight Railers had
crossed home plate and the lead was up to 13-4.
Auburn scored once in the sixth inning, but it was pretty irrelevant
at this point.
No one was shutting down Lincoln’s top of the order. Corley singled
in the bottom of the sixth inning. Lucas then doubled and Hayes
decided to drive them both home with a hard-hit ball to right field.
The two runs gave Lincoln a 15-5 win in six innings and Kane Komnick
got his third win of the season for Lincoln.
Komnick was playing catch with his older brother, Karson, behind the
plate. That has to make mom and dad smile. Kane tossed six innings,
giving up ten hits and five runs. Only four were earned. He walked
two and struck out four.
The top four hitters in the lineup for Lincoln really guided the
offense against Auburn.
Ashton Corley was 3-or-3 with four runs scored and three RBIs. He
walked once and was hit by a pitch.
Austin Lucas was 2-for-3 with four runs scored and two RBIs. He
walked twice.
Drew Hayes was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBIs.
Parker Graue was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs.
Jadyn Gulley had the other hit for Lincoln, a single in the bottom
of the fifth inning.
Lincoln drew ten walks off Trojans pitching.
The Railsplitters (12-15) will host Peoria Richwoods today at 4:30
p.m.
[Teena Lowery]
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