The Hillcrest Academy baseball and softball teams make the road trip to Mediapolis Thursday, each in search of their first wins. The Raven baseball team is 0-2 after 5-2 and 5-4 losses to Highland and Louisa-Muscatine respectively to start the year. The Ravens are hitting .163 as a team with a staff ERA of 4.00. Individually, Hillcrest is led by Jace Rempel at the plate with a .429 average and two RBI. London Schrock is the ERA leader at 1.75 in four innings.
Mediapolis is 1-2 overall with losses to Highland and New London and a win against Winfield-Mt. Union. The Bulldogs are hitting .241 as a team and have a 4.91 team ERA. Individually, MEPO is led by Josh Darbyshire with a .500 average four RBI and three runs scored. On the hill, Jason Brooks is 1-0 with a 2.80 ERA in five innings. These two teams met last year with the Bulldogs winning a 1-0 pitchers dual. MEPO has won 13 of the last 14 in the series.
It’s a Southeast Iowa Superconference baseball and softball rivalry matchup Friday in Lone Tree when Hillcrest Academy visits the Lions. The Raven baseball team is 0-1 after falling to Highland in the season opener Tuesday 5-2. In that game Jace Rempel led the way with a pair of hits. Luke Schrock took the loss on the mound in relief, throwing three innings and giving up four runs. Lone Tree is 0-2 this year, they were beaten by Highland Thursday 15-2. These two teams met twice a year ago, with Lone Tree winning by 14-13 and 10-7 scores, Hillcrest had won four straight in series previous to that.
The Hillcrest Academy baseball and softball teams head south Thursday to take on the Danville Bears in a set of Southeast Iowa Superconference crossover contests. The Hillcrest baseball team is 0-1 on the year after a late lead slipped away against Highland Tuesday, falling to the Huskies 5-2. In the game, Jace Rempel led the way going two for three, Josiah Beachy had the lone RBI. Luke Schrock took the loss on the mound, giving up four hits and four runs while striking out one in relief.
Danville was a 9-5 winner over Central Lee on Tuesday, using a six-run second inning to take control of the contest. Grifen Molle, Cam Edle and Tyler Hartman each had two hits in the win. Edle, Hartman and Klayton Kleinkopf each drove in a pair. Jaden Bauer got the win on the hill, giving up seven hits, five runs and striking out two. Hillcrest has won nine of the last 12 in the series, including four straight with a 17-2 victory in 2018 in their last meeting.
It’s an all-KCII area matchup tonight when Hillcrest Academy and Highland get together for Southeast Iowa Superconference baseball and softball. The Hillcrest softball team was 0-12 a season ago, hitting .158 as a team, led by Sarah Miller who is back for her senior year after hitting .300 as a junior. Esther Hughes also returns after hitting .265 last season. The Ravens had a 7.77 ERA a year ago with Leah Bontrager throwing each inning.
Highland softball was 9-7 last year. The Huskies hit .324 as a team and return eight players from that high powered offense, led by Dani Laughlin and her .600 average as a freshman with 33 hits and eight RBI. The Huskies finished with a 3.53 ERA and return everyone who threw a pitch last season, led by Grace Batcheller and her 63 innings of work with a 7-4 record and 3.52 ERA. These two teams met twice a season ago with Highland sweeping the series by 12-0 and 13-1 scores.