2003 - 2004 Mt. Pulaski Varsity 
Spring Baseball Schedule
Hilltopper Varsity Baseball WEB page

Varsity Roster

Follow IHSA Baseball Playoffs in both 
A and AA divisons...Click on the following link:

http://www.ihsa.org/scores/4y19ba1.htm

Hilltoppers win in Regional Play...beat Delavan, 6-0
Brian Clements (8-3) pitched 6 strong innings, allowing only 1 hit and 3 base-on-balls,
while striking out 9.  Clements also hit a round-tripper, with Dan Gleason and Chase
Lowery banging out doubles in today's semi-final regional play.  John Foley pitched no-hit
ball in the 7th inning to finish up the game.  The Hilltoppers (23-5) go up against Williamsville in the
title game on Monday at 4:30.  Williamsville (24-6) defeated Mason City's Illinois Central (6-17) 9-0
 earlier in the day.

At Williamsville
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
Delavan  0
Mt. Pulaski*  6
WP- Brian Clements(8-3) 6IP,1H,9K,3BB LP- Grant Lewis(0-4)5IP,5R,4H,7K,1BB 2B- Dan Gleason(MP), Chase Lowery(MP) HR- Brian Clements(MP) Delavan 000 000 0 0-1-2 MP 020 211 x 6-5-0

 

Date            Opponent                     Location            Time       Result

March 20        Mahomet-Seymour (DH)             Home                     10:00      W  8-3
                                                                                                                                                  W  2-1

     The Hilltoppers got off to an excellent start, posting double-header victories over a strong "AA" team from Mahomet-Seymour.  Tom Maske went 3 for 3 with 2 rbi's.  Brian Clements pitched 3 strong innings for the win, posting 7 k's.  John Foley recorded the save, with only one hit over the last four innings in relief.  Tyson Durst and Dan Gleason each had two rbi's.  
       In the night-cap, the locals behind the pitching and hitting of Craig Erlenbush, finished on top with a 2-1 win.  Erlenbush had the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 7th inning in addition to pitching two innings in relief, giving up only an unearned run.  Josh Blaum started and pitched five strong innings, recording 3 k's.   Tim Milner went 2 for 4

                                                                                                          
March 22        Springfield Lutheran                    Home                     4:15         W  19-1

     The Hilltoppers' bats exploded for 19 runs in just 5 innings, as they pounded Springfield Lutheran, 19-1.   John Foley started and pitched 4 strong innings, surrendering only 1 run on 3 hits, while registering 3 k's.  Josh Blaum went 2 for 3, with 2 rbi's on a home run over the right-center field fence.  Tyson Durst and Dan Gleason each had two hits, with 4 rbi's between them.  The Hilltoppers recorded 15 hits and batted around in the bottom of the 4th, scoring 14 runs.   The game was called at the end of the 5th inning.  Another nice crowd was on hand, with the snack stand dispensing fresh pop corn under the expert care of popper, Jeff Clements.

< click here for some photos of the game >

March 23        Taylorville                                  There                       4:15                rain

March 27        Pawnee                                      There                      10:00               rain

March 30        Illini Central                                There                       4:15            L  4-1

April 1            Midwest Central                         Home                       4:15         W  20-1

April 3           Illini Bluffs (DH)                         Home                      10:00        W  15-0 

                                                                                                                       W  10-7

April 6           Williamsville                                There                       4:15            L  9-3

April 8           PORTA                                      Home                       4:30         W  11-9

     The Hilltoppers exploded for 7 runs in the first inning, then held on to a 11-9 Sangamo Conference win over Porta.  Tyson Durst had 4 rbi's on a double and home run.  John Foley went 2-for-4 with a home run and 2 rbi's.  Brian Clements went 2-for-3 with 4 rbi's.  Thomas Maske and Josh Blaum each had two hits.  
      Clements (3-1) got the win in 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.  He allowed only one hit and one walk, striking out two.

 

April 10 Hartem T 1:00

W  10 - 0

        The Toppers showed both their power hitting and power pitching in a strong Tomahawk conference outing against rival Hartsburg-Emden, 10-0.   Coach Clark's field generals connected for 4 round-trippers, while holding the opposing hitters to only 3 hits.  
      John Foley (2-1) pitched a strong and complete game, striking out 5 and surrendering only 1 walk in his 5-inning stint.  Brian Clements racked up 4 rbi's with two 4-baggers.  Tyson Durst and Josh Blaum also connected for homeruns.  
      The Hilltoppers (8-2, 3-1) will play Ursuline at home on Tuesday.

< click here for some game photos >

 
April 13 Springfield Ursuline H 4:30

W  15 - 1

        The Hilltoppers (9-2) once again showed both their power hitting and power pitching as they overwhelmed Springfield Ursuline, 15 - 1.  The locals slugged away for 10 runs in the 4th inning of the abbreviated 5-inning contest.  Home runs by Craig Erlenbush and Tyson Durst led the way.  John Foley, Brian Clements, Vance Knauer, Zach Moore, Thomas Maske, Tim Milner and Korey Letterle contributed with hits, runs, and rbi's.   
      Brian Clements (4-1) pitched another excellent game, striking out 7, walking only 1, and surrendering only 1 run on two hits.  Jeff Tobias pitched the final inning in relief, striking out 2.  
April 15 Meridian H 4:30

  W   8 - 4
April 16-17 PORTA  Bluejay  Classic


T

 

    

W   3 - 0
W   8 - 0
T    2 - 2

PORTA
  Stronghurst Southern
  Carrollton

  
April 19 Riverton T 4:30

W   13 - 0

        The Hilltoppers (13-2-1) continued their power hitting and power pitching as they blasted Riverton, 13-0 in five innings.  Josh Blaum (3-0) threw a complete game, giving up only 1 hit and striking out an amazing 13 out of 15 batters to come to the plate.  Brian Clements lead the way for the offense with a 2-run homer and 3 rbi's.  
April 20 Niantic Harristown   H 4:30 W 15-4
April 23 **Red Bud Riverton 6:30 W  2-1
April 26 Delavan   T 4:30 W  6-2
May 3 Argenta Oreana   T 4:30 W 11-7
May 4 Athens H        4:30

W  11 - 1
May 6 Tremont H

4:30

W 10 - 3
       

       The Hilltoppers started off slow, but gained momentum on the back of Chase Lowery's outstanding performance both at the plate and behind the plate.  Chase hit two round-trippers, the 2nd breaking a 3-3 tie with a grand-slam in the 4th inning.  Chase also blocked the plate and tagged out the runner on a bases-loaded fly-out to right fielder Tom Maske, who adeptly threw to the relay man (Brian Clements), who made a perfect-strike throw into home.  Craig Erlenbush pitched 5 innings and gained the win.
May 7 Buffalo Tri-City H        4:30

W  15 - 2
       A change in the home venue did not alter the Mt. Pulaski baseball look, as the team christened their new field with a barrage of hitting and scoring as well as with good pitching and defense.  They once again showed offensive and defense excellence, this time over-whelming Tri-City on a very windy day (oddly, the strong wind was blowing in from the northeast).  They defeated Tri-City, 18-1, with Josh Blaum going the distance for his fifth win against no losses.  He struck out 7 and did not surrender any walks.  Blaum contributed to the onslaught with a double, 2 rbi's, and 3 runs scored.  Both Dan Gleason and John Foley went 3-for-3 with 3 and 4 rbi's respectively.  Brian Clements tripled in 3 and Vance Knauer had 2 rbi's.  The Hilltoppers have a 20-2-1 record, 4-2 in the Sangamo Conference.  They have already won the Tomahawk Conference.  

       The new field (located to the west of the Vonderleith complex) is a class "A" product involving lots of money and hard work.  The pitcher's mound, base paths, and overall crown of the field has been designed to perfection, and the bluegrass has been well-seeded and well-groomed.  The dirt base paths and grass infield and outfield looked in good to excellent shape, considering the newness of it all.  The dugouts are quite substantial, with port holes for viewing on the sides.  The fencing couldn't be better, stretching all around the field areas.

       The only things missing at this time were two bull pins, an operational snack stand full of goodies, an ice-cold drinking fountain, a press box, and bleachers.  The most important ingredient, of course, is a competitive baseball team, which certainly is the case this year at Mt. Pulaski High School.  The Hilltoppers have one of the best records in Central Illinois and are highly seeded in the coming playoffs.  The faithful fans can do without their popcorn and sodas as they continue to watch their local boys push on to regional and sectional tournament action.

May 8 Champaign Centennial (DH) T      10:00

W  4 - 3
L  4 - 1
May 10 Springfield Calvary T        4:15

rain

See below for May 13th & May 14th games -->
May 7 Buffalo Tri-City MP 4:30 Win 18-1
May 8 Champaign Centennial Champaign 10:00 Win  4-3
May 8 Champaign Centennial Champaign 12:30 Loss 4-1
May 12 Pleasant Plains  Pleasant Plains 4:30 Loss 1-0

May 12 Pleasant Plains  Pleasant Plains

4:30

Loss 1 - 0
May 13 Edinburg T        4:30

rain
May 14 Warrensburg-Latham T        4:30

rain
May 17 Rochester H

4:30

Loss 9 - 5
       The Hilltoppers were not in contention, as the jitters may have gotten to the boys, with several errors leading to un-earned runs scored early on by Rochester.  This is very uncharacteristic about the local team, as they have play exceedingly well throughout the Spring season.  Pulaski threw all three starters at their opponents during the course of the game.  Chase Lowery continued his excellent hitting with three hits.  Tyson Durst legged out a double.  

       The Hilltoppers have a 21-5 record with a Sangamo Conference record of 4-4.  Rochester is 24-5, 6-2.  The team has a first-round bye in the Regionals, which start today.  To remain sharp, Coach Clark has his team going against Morrisonville on Wednesday, also here at the new field.  The team will take on the winner of the Hartem/Delavan 1st round regional game this Saturday at Williamsville at 12:30, which will be the IHSA Regional semi-final game.
May 17 IHSA Regionals Begin Mt. Pulaski has a 1st round bye, so will play the winner of Hartem-Delevan game in 2nd round IHSA action.
May 19 Morrisonville H

4:30

Win 8 - 2

       In the final tune-up for regional play, the Hilltoppers got back into the win column by defeating Morrisonville at the new home field today.  Both teams substituted liberally and it was not the best against the best.  Both squads went deep into their benches in order to get their utility players ready for the playoffs as well as to rest some of the regulars, several of whom saw limited action.  

Follow IHSA Baseball Playoffs in both A and AA divisons...Click on the following link:

http://www.ihsa.org/scores/4y19ba1.htm

May 22

2nd Round IHSA Regional Action

  Vs.

Delavan

At Hartsburg (H.-Emden)*
REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL
Delavan  10 F
Hartsburg (H.-Emden)    6

Williamsville

12:30

IHSA Regional Schedule

Sectional, and Super-Sectional Information