By: Nate Calvin
BRYAN-The Hilltop bats came alive in the fifth inning as they scored nine runs to clinch the win 11-0 and the Division IV district championship.
The Cadets would get on the board in the third inning as Alex Horton doubled and would advance to third base on the throw.
Hannah Riley (2-2, 2 RBIs) followed with a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Horton and put Hilltop on top 1-0.
Holly Jermeay then put down a bunt with the bases empty and advanced all the way to third on play after an error by the Antwerp first baseman.
Hilltop pitcher Kodi Brenner scored Jermeay with a groundout to extend the lead to 2-0.
Antwerp would have their best scoring opportunity of the night in the top of the fifth as they loaded the bases with no outs.
Brenner managed to work her way out of the inning though as she got a force out at home and then Antwerp pitcher Emersyn Litzenberg lined into a double play to end the inning.
Hilltop’s nine-run fifth inning started with a single by Jocelyn Layman, a walk by Horton, and Riley singled to center to drive in Layman and make the score 3-0.
After Jermeay reached on an error to score Horton, Brenner (1-3, 3 RBIs) connected for a two-run double to left to increase the lead to 6-0.
Sara Barnum continued the onslaught for the Cadets with a single, Lana Baker added an RBI groundout, and then Barnum would score on an error by the third baseman to give Hilltop an 8-0 lead.
It was Layman’s turn then as she reached on an error by the center fielder and that scored Kacy Connolly who had walked for a 9-0 game.
Horton (2-3, 2 RBIs) then in her second at-bat of the inning would knock a two-run homer over the fence in right-center to give the Cadets the mercy rule win and send them to the regionals.
Brenner needed just 78 pitches to get the win in the circle for the Cadets as she allowed just one hit and struck out four.
Hilltop (27-3) will face Mohawk in the regional semifinals in Defiance on Wednesday, May 26th at 5pm.
SCORE BY INNINGS R H E
Antwerp 000 00x x 0 1 5
Hilltop 002 09x x 11 9 3
Nate can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com