The University baseball team continued to roll on Wednesday, taking care of Anderson Prep 15-1 in a five-inning Pioneer Conference game at Roundtripper Academy.
The Trailblazers scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone early. Garrett Hill got the first of his six RBIs when his right field base hit scored Dawson Estep for the game’s first run. Hill would score later in the inning when Tyler Galyean drew a bases-loaded walk.
University scored at least one run in each inning, including seven in the second. Hill started it with a three-run home run. In the third inning, Hill’s center field single scored two more runs, getting Nate Shatkowski and Ryan Williams home. Hill finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate.
Williams was 2-for-2, batting in two runs in the second inning. He was also one of six University players to score two runs during the game; the others were Estep, Hill, Cade Carlson, Asher Thompson and Shatkowski. Galyean totaled two RBIs, as his groundout sent Carlson home in the third.
Shatkowski pitched five innings, giving up just one hit in the game, in the fifth. He tossed six strikeouts.
“We’ve got a great blend of young kids and older kids,” said ‘Blazers coach Chris Estep. “The older kids, seniors, juniors, are stepping up and starting to do some really good things.”
“You get thrust into a leadership role, and you’re not really sure how to lead yet. Our guys have figured that out. They’re doing a fantastic job. Our young kids, our freshmen, they’re following their lead. It’s working out pretty well right now.”
University is 5-0 in the Pioneer Conference with two games left to play, against Liberty Christian on May 15 and Shortridge on May 18. Overall, the Trailblazers are 16-5 and play a doubleheader at Lutheran on Saturday.
University 15, Anderson Prep 1
(5 innings)
University AB R H RBI
Dawson Estep 0 2 0 0
Adam Oxley 1 0 0 0
Garrett Hill 4 2 3 6
Brock Moore 4 0 0 0
Ben Ewer 2 1 0 0
Cade Carlson 2 2 1 0
Koki Hirano 1 1 0 0
Asher Thompson 1 2 1 0
Tyler Galyean 1 1 0 2
Will Mables 1 0 0 0
Nate Shatkowski 2 2 1 1
Will Spence 1 0 1 1
Ryan Williams 2 2 2 2
Totals 22 15 9 12
Score by innings
Anderson Prep 010 00 – 1 1 2
University 275 1x – 15 9 2
HR: Hill. SB: Estep 2, Williams 2, Carlson, Ewer, Hill, Shatkowski. HBP: Estep 2, Thompson 2, Ewer, Williams.
University pitching IP R ER H
Shatkowski 5 1 0 1
Strikeouts: Shatkowski 6. Walks: Shatkowski 1.
University’s Garrett Hill batted in six runs for the Trailblazers in their 15-1 win over Anderson Prep on Wednesday. (Richie Hall)