Hilltopper baseball drops pair to open season
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TOPPERS’ senior pitcher Max Janson sent this throw to home plate during an April 14 Dunn-St. Croix baseball game in Elk Mound. Glenwood City lost 7-0. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
With the weather finally cooperating last week, the Glenwood City baseball team was able to open its 2023 season with a pair of conference road games.
Unfortunately, the Toppers had trouble hitting and fielding the ball leading to two defeats.
Glenwood City lost 13-2 to Mondovi its season opener last Thursday, April 13. Just 24 hours later, the Hilltoppers were back in action traveling to Elk Mound to square off against the defending Dunn-St. Croix champions. Although Glenwood City played much better, it was shut out 7-0 by Elk Mound.
The Toppers Monday road game in Spring Valley was postponed but they played in Elmwood Tuesday against the EPC Wolves. Glenwood City takes on rival Boyceville this Thursday and Colfax next Monday, April 24.
Mondovi
Glenwood City had a promising start in its season opener in Mondovi April 13.
The Hilltoppers scored a pair of runs in the top half of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Unfortunately, they didn’t score another run.
But, the host Buffaloes certainly did.
Taking advantage of five Topper errors and some timely hitting, Mondovi scored a run in the its half of the first, six more in the second, a pair in the third, and finally, four in the fourth, to cap a 13-2, five-inning victory.
Despite the 11-run differential, Mondovi only outhit Glenwood City seven to two.
In the first, Noah Brite doubled and scored on a single by Caleb Klinger. Max Janson, who had drawn a walk prior to Klinger’s base hit, drew a walk and stole a pair of bases included home to give Glenwood City an early 2-0 advantage.
It did not last long.
Mondovi got a run back in the bottom of the first, then took advantage of a pair of walks, a hit batsman, and four singles to push six runs across in the second inning. A pair of errors and two passed ball lead to two more Mondovi scores in the third. In the fourth frame, the Buffaloes scored four more runs on just two hits thanks to more Glenwood City errors and another hit batter to account for the 13-2 final.
GLENWOOD CITY infielder Peyton Theune prepared to catch this pop fly during a conference baseball game in Elk Mound April 14. The Hilltoppers were shut out 7-0 by the defender D-SC champion Mounders. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Brite’s double and Klinger’s single in the first were the Toppers only hits in the game as four different Mondovi pitchers combined to hold down the Topper hitters. Andrew Rud, who threw two and a third innings of hitless and scoreless ball, secured the win.
Steven Booth took the loss for Glenwood City as he surrendered seven runs and five hits in two inning of mound work with a strikeout and three walks. Klinger, who allowed five runs without a hit and walked three, and Brite, who gave up a run on two hits, each tossed an inning.
Elk Mound
A shaky start led to another loss for Glenwood City when they played in Elk Mound Friday, April 14.
Elk Mound scored two runs in each of the first three innings while its pitchers Lucas Johnson and Kamron Diermeier each allowed just one hit in a 7-0 shut out of the Hilltoppers.
Elk Mound had just six hits against Glenwood City pitchers Blake Fayerweather and Max Janson but took advantage of nine walks to claim the win.
Jayden Quinn singled and Fayerweather doubled to account for Glenwood City’s two hits.
Fayerweather started on the mound, threw two innings and took the loss after giving up five runs on two hits while walking seven and striking out four. Janson threw three innings allowing two runs on four his with two walks and a pair of Ks. Noah Brite pitched a scoreless and hitless sixth inning and registered a strikeout.
Glenwood City finished with a pair of errors.