FORCE PLAY AT SECOND … Hilltop second baseman Brady Wagner makes a throw to first after retiring Braden Leppelmeier of Edgerton on a force play at second base. VIEW 172 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
BRYAN (May 22, 2024) – The Cadets broke open a close game with a four-spot in the fifth inning to knock off Edgerton 7-2 at Sumpter Field in Bryan and advance to their first district final since 2001.
Edgerton pushed across an unearned run to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Cory Herman reached on a two-out error and Noah Weaver smoked a triple to right to bring Herman home.
Hilltop answered back in the bottom of the inning with a pair of runs to take the lead for good.
Devin Dempsey was hit by a pitch to leadoff the frame and Raace Haynes doubled to left field to put runners at second and third with no outs.
Edgerton starting pitcher Cory Herman would then get the first out of the inning by inducing a sacrifice fly to center by Terry Rebeck as Dempsey scored to tie the game 1-1.
A Cameron Schlosser groundout moved Haynes to third and he would later score on a wild pitch during Wade Wagner’s at bat to put the Cadets on top 2-1.
Wagner would eventually single and steal second and Cameron Shimp singled to left to put runners on the corners with still two outs. Herman then ended the inning as he picked off Shimp at first base to keep it a 2-1 ball game.
Hilltop manufactured a run in the third as Dempsey singled to center, stole second, and advanced to third on a bunt single by Haynes.
Rebeck then tallied his second RBI of the night by hitting into a fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning, scoring Dempsey to make the score 3-1.
The Bulldogs got the run back in the fourth with Scottie Krontz delivering a one-out single followed by Kellen Sanchez with an RBI double to center to trim the Hilltop lead back to one run.
The first two hitters would reach base for Hilltop in the fifth as Dempsey drew a walk, which led to a Bulldog pitching change, and Haynes was hit by a pitch by Edgerton reliever Kaden Kennerk.
Rebeck would then drive in his third run of the night with a single to right as Haynes went to third and Schlosser’s sacrifice fly scored Haynes for a 5-2 lead.
Rebeck advanced to second on a wild pitch before Wagner lined a double to left to score Rebeck to extend the lead to 6-2.
Edgerton turned to Elijah Martin on the hill as he became the Bulldogs’ third pitcher of the inning.
Brennan Dempsey struck out to end the inning but not before Wagner moved to third on a wild pitch and later scored on an error by Edgerton catcher Jackson Flower to make the final margin 7-2.
Haynes locked down Edgerton over the final two innings, allowing just a seventh inning single, to earn the complete game win on the mound.
Wagner, Devin Dempsey and Shimp each recorded two hits on the night. Maddox Baker had a double to give Edgerton three extra base knocks in the game.
EDGERTON 100 100 0 – 2 6 1
HILLTOP 201 040 x – 7 9 2
Records: Edgerton 12-10, Hilltop 14-9
WINNING PITCHER: Haynes (7 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 2 strikeouts, 0 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: Herman (4 innings, 6 hits, 4 runs, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk) OTHER: Kennerk, Martin
LEADING HITTERS: (Edgerton) Baker – double; Sanchez – double, RBI; Weaver – triple, RBI; (Hilltop) Haynes – double, single, 2 runs; W. Wagner – double, single, RBI, run; Rebeck – single, 3 RBIs, run; D. Dempsey – 2 singles, 3 runs; Shimp – 2 singles
