(June 22nd, 2015) – WEST UNITY: In a contest that was tight until its later stages, the Cadets of Hilltop were able to pull away from their Patriot guests from Henry County. The hometown boys refused to give up after falling behind with just a third of the game left to play, and their efforts paid off in a big way.
Hilltop defeated Patrick Henry 14-7.
Each side was quick to act with the bat in their hands. The Patriots scored a pair of runs in the top of the first to take the early lead. Yet Hilltop was swift in their response, driving in 2 runs of their own to tie things up by the bottom half of the inning. Trading blows over the course of the next 2 innings, the Cadets and Patriots added a run to their respective totals in both the second and third frames. With 6 innings to go, the boys of West Unity remained deadlocked with Patrick Henry 4-4.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Cadet boys claimed the advantage with a 1 run showing. After a quiet fifth inning, the Patriots reclaimed the lead, bringing home 3 runs for a 7-5 advantage. That 2 run deficit wouldn’t last for Hilltop, however, as their offense racked up a tremendous 9 runs in the seventh inning. Solid defense protected the Cadet lead, giving them the 7 run victory.
Leading Hilltop from the batter’s box was Isaac VanArsdalen. Going 3 for 5 from the plate, the senior-to-be hit for 2 singles and a double, driving in 2 RBIs. Cole Haynes also bought in a pair of RBIs, as he went 2 for 4 swinging the bat for 2 doubles. With a double and a single to his name, Levi Grant gave the Cadet boys yet another 2 RBI performance.
Assuming the win from the mound for Hilltop was Kohl Collins. A rising sophomore, Collins pitched for 4 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs off of 5 hits. He also struck out 3 Patriot batters while walking 3 more. Pitching for the Cadets in the first 5 innings was Nic Schieber, who gave up just 3 earned runs from 6 hits.