ACME BASEBALL … Fayette’s Wyatt Bieber secures a pop up during the Eagles ACME baseball game at Hilltop.
(PHOTOS BY BREANA RELIFORD / THE VILAGE REPORTER)
RACE TO THE BAG … Anthony Jiannuzzi tries to beat the throw to first base in Hilltop’s 12-2 win over Fayette.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
WEST UNITY (June 19, 2025) – On graduation day, Hilltop lost the likes of top pitcher Cameron Schlosser along with Devin Dempsey from the mound.
However, with those who leave, that leaves opportunity for those coming up and senior to be Brady Wagner made the most of it by firing five solid innings, in a 12-2 romp over Fayette in ACME baseball.
Wagner struck out eight and walked just two in his complete game win. He also was a factor offensively, scoring three times.
Hilltop got three of their 12 tallies in the first to get out on top. Anthony Jiannuzzi walked, Wagner singled to left ahead of Cameron Shimp’s long double to center that scored both runners.
Shimp took third on the throw home, but he wasn’t there long as Camryn Nichols worked the squeeze play to perfection to make it 3-0.
Fayette answered back with a pair of runs in the second, the only time the Eagles marked a hit.
Zander Johnston led off with a double up the left-center field gap and Dane Andrews was plunked by a Wagner offering to put runners at first and second.
Zach Oehlers solid single to right brought home one run and a groundout scored the second.
Avery Berg recorded the Eagles’ last hit of the night, but Wagner struck out the next hitter to get out of the inning.
After a walk to open the third, Wagner put down the next nine Eagle hitters, six of those on strikes, using a big breaking curveball for many of those strikeouts.
At the plate, the Cadets rang up five more runs in the second. Corbin Hartman’s leadoff double started the rally and after a walk and a wild pitch, Nate Johnson laced a two-run single to left.
A walk and an error brought home two more and ended the day for starter Cru Lavinder. Wyatt Bieber walked the next hitter, then another Fayette fielding miscue and Toby Hartman’s RBI hit made it 8-2.
Hilltop scored single runs in the third and fourth. Two hit batters around singles from Jiannuzzi and Shimp got a Cadet run in the third and Corbin Hartman’s base hit got a fourth inning tally to make it 10-2.
Hilltop ended the game against Hayden Wagner in the fifth as Jiannuzzi singled. Wagner reached on an error, and Shimp lasered a three-base hit to center to end the contest.
Shimp led the Cadet 12-hit attack with three hits and three RBIs. Johnson scored twice and knocked in a pair. Jiannuzzi had two hits and scored twice.
FAYETTE 020 00 – 2 3 3
HILLTOP 351 12 – 12 12 0
Records: Fayette 0-2, Hilltop 2-4
WINNING PITCHER: Wagner (5 innings, 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts)
LOSING PITCHER: Cru Lavinder (1.1 innings, 5 hits, 7 runs, 7 earned, 2 walks, 0 strikeouts) Other: Bieber, Wagner
LEADING HITTERS: (Fayette) Johnston – double; (Hilltop) Jiannuzzi – 2 singles, 2 runs; Wagner – 2 singles, RBI, 3 runs; Shimp – triple, double, single, 4 RBIs, 3 runs; Hartman – double, single, RBI; Johnson – single, 2 RBIs, 2 runs