By PAUL GOTHAM
FAIRPORT, N.Y. — Three games in three days from Saturday through Monday left the Hilton pitching staff looking a little thin.
The Cadets brought that along with a two-game losing streak when they took the field Wednesday in a Monroe County Division I matchup at Fairport.
Payden Prince put all worries to rest.
Making his first varsity start Prince hurled a career-high six innings, and Hilton avenged an earlier loss with a 5-2 victory.
“We were a little short on pitching tonight, but Pay Prince stepped up big time,” said Hilton head coach Kevin Whelehan. “That’s his first varsity start, and it came against the top dog in Section V right now. Big, big deal for him. I’m happy for him.”
The junior left-hander struck out five. He allowed two runs on three hits and four walks.
“Start of the game I was just focusing on throwing strikes and making guys put the ball in play,” he said. “I threw my change-up a lot more today. I think that made me a little bit more effective. I threw a lot more strikes. It was a good day.”
Prince faced the minimum in three separate innings and didn’t give in when he walked the first two batters in the third.
“He did a great job,” Whelehan said. “We tell our guys, to take a deep breath and relax. It’s not about the pitch you’ve just thrown. It’s about the next pitch, and he did an incredible job with that today.”
The top of the order had eight of Hilton’s 10 hits and produced all five runs. The Cadets (6-6) set the tone on offense in the first inning.
Leadoff man Ryan Wahl, who finished 3-for-4 on the day with three runs scored, singled, stole second and moved to third when Brady Gerig beat out a bunt. Steven Kraus brought home the first run with an RBI fielder’s choice.
Steven Kraus brings in Ryan Wahl with an RBI groundout. @HiltonVBaseball 1-0, top 1. pic.twitter.com/PjnciDkBCP
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 24, 2024
Kayden Yapjoco to Brady Gerig erases a runner. Payden Prince faces the minimum in the second. @HiltonVBaseball 1 @FHSBaseballFY13 0 pic.twitter.com/tNiu3Gdzud
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 24, 2024
Steven Kraus makes the play at first, and Payden Prince escapes a second-and-third-no-out jam unscathed. @HiltonVBaseball 3-0 heading to the fourth. pic.twitter.com/ZDvh3h99kY
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 24, 2024
Brady Gerig brings in Ryan Wahl with a sacrifice fly. @HiltonVBaseball 4-0 in the fifth. pic.twitter.com/NN9ZQdA1tN
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 24, 2024
Clean-up hitter Andrew Lenhard doubled and drove in two in third for a 3-0 lead.
“The guys got it going in the first couple of innings and put a couple runs on the board,” Prince said. “That got me comfortable. That definitely helped me out.”
Wahl doubled to lead the fifth, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Gerig’s sacrifice fly. The Cadets left-fielder started the seventh with a base hit, moved 90 feet on a Gerig sacrifice bunt and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from Kraus.
“That’s probably the most complete game we’ve played all year from the standpoint of pitching to defense to offense to situational hitting,” Whelehan said. “Our guys did a great job.”
Gerig went 2-for-2 on the day. Kraus was 1-for-3 with two RBI. Lenhard had two hits in three at-bats along with a base on balls.
“The top of the lineup did a pretty good today of getting on base,” Whelehan said. “We stole a couple bases. We bunted a few times and then good, situational hitting with guys on third base. That’s what every team wants to do, and we were able to do it today. Those guys at the top of the lineup did a nice job for us today.”
Sam Hogan and Kaden Yapjoco accounted for the other Hilton hits. Hogan also reached on a walk.
Kallin Whelehan struck out one and hurled a scoreless seventh inning for the save.
Fairport (8-2) had won eight straight heading into Wednesday’s matchup. The Red Raiders scored four runs in the seventh on Monday in a come-from-behind 5-3 win at Hilton.
It looked like Fairport had a chance for another rally on Wednesday. Nathan VanDeVoorde drew a walk to start the sixth and moved to second on a balk. Will Stanek got the Red Raiders on the scoreboard with a single down the left field line. One out later, Patrick Linquist singled to bring the tying run to the plate.
Jackson Rucker makes the play from short. Will Nunn leaves a runner at second. @FHSBaseballFY13 comes to the plate in the bottom of the sixth trailing 4-0. pic.twitter.com/Ve2T45e7Ku
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 24, 2024
“In that sixth inning, unfortunately I gave up two runs, but my teammates stayed in the game and put another run on the board to help me out,” Prince said. “You just got to stay focused. My mentality going into every inning was to stay focused, don’t let up.”
Jackson Rucker added a single and a walk for Fairport. Jerry Ostrander also had a base hit.
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