THROW DOWN TO FIRST … Stryker catcher Bradley Williams fields a ball along the baseline during Wednesday’s BBC makeup game with Hilltop.
(PHOTO BY REANA RELIFORD / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
WINNING PITCHER … Cadet starter Terry Rebeck worked four innings on the mound for the win and also contributed with two hits and three RBIs.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
STRYKER (April 16, 2025) – A wise old man once said, “make the most out of a little.” A wiser younger man said, “why knock in one run when two or three are available.”
Hilltop made both those proverbs come to life as they used just nine base hits, three of which brought home two or three runs, in a 15-3 romp over Stryker.
“It was good to see, because we have struggled in that department,” Cadet coach Tony Gerig explained of the multiple RBI swings.
“This was our eighth game of the year, and we have had a lead in all eight, but we are only .500. In those games we haven’t won, we have had opportunities like that and haven’t come through and gotten that hit.”
“To see that today it a big step for us, hopefully to build some confidence going forward with the rest of our schedule.”
A single from Devin Dempsey, a hit batter and an error set the stage for the first of the previously mentioned big hits the Cadets had, in the first inning.
With the bases jacked, Cameron Shimp laced a two-run single to left, then two batters later Anthony Jiannuzzi did the same to help Hilltop gain a 5-0 lead.
Stryker had a good chance to get back into the game in the first, and again in the third, but twice with two on and no one out, Jacob Myers was thrown out trying to steal third.
Daniel Donovan got the second runner home in the first with a booming triple to dead center, but that was the only run the Panthers could get in the situation as Cadet starter Terry Rebeck worked around six walks in his four innings on the mound.
Cameron Schlosser’s RBI single to right helped the Cadets make it 7-0 in the second and then Hilltop put the game away with a huge eight run fourth.
After a pair of walks to open the inning, Jiannuzzi struck again with a run-scoring single, pinch-hitter Toby Hartman followed with another and a ground ball out marked a third to make it 10-1.
An error, and Schlosser taking a pitch to the body for the third time in the game, loaded the bases for Rebeck who hammered a three-run double to center that turned out to be the big blow of the inning.
“I felt like, coming into the season, that we had a lineup one through nine and more,” Gerig said of the balanced attack.
“So far that hasn’t happened in every game. But especially the bottom half of the lineup, it was good to see those kids contribute today.”
“It’s a great step for us and hopefully we can take it one day at a time and keep progressing.”
Stryker did get two back in their half of the fourth. After a walk, Rustin Nafziger singled, then with two down, Bradley Williams looped a base hit to left center for one run and Donovan’s second extra base hit, a double, brought home another.
Hilltop hosts Fayette Thursday while the Panthers are off until next Tuesday.
HHS 520 80 – 15 10 1
SHS 100 20 – 3 7 4
Records: Hilltop 4-4, 1-1 BBC; Stryker 0-5, 0-2 BBC
WINNING PITCHER: Rebeck (4 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned, 6 walks, 5 strikeouts) Other: Jiannuzzi
LOSING PITCHER: D. Donovan (4 innings, 8 hits, 15 runs, 9 earned, 6 walks, 6 strikeouts) Other: W. Donovan
LEADING HITTERS: (Hilltop) Rebeck – double, single, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Jiannuzzi – 2 singles, 3 RBIs; D. Dempsey – 2 singles, 3 runs; Shimp – single, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; (Stryker) Williams – 2 singles, RBI; D. Donovan – triple, double, 2 RBIs; W. Donovan – 2 hits