Baseball Game Preview: Hilltop Cadets vs. Ayersville Pilots

The Hilltop Cadets will square off against the Ayersville Pilots at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Hilltop is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.5 runs per game this season.

Hilltop's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Saturday. They blew past Northwood 9-0. Considering the Cadets have won seven contests by more than eight runs this season, Saturday's blowout was nothing new.

The result came thanks to Cameron Shimp's shutout, as he gave up just two hits and racked up seven Ks.

At the plate, Zander Runkel was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and two doubles. Those two doubles gave him a new career-high. Cameron Schlosser was another key player, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.

Meanwhile, Ayersville posted their closest victory since April 13, 2024 on Saturday. They skirted past North Central 1-0. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Pilots.

Ayersville's win bumped their record up to 8-12. As for Hilltop, they now have a winning record of 11-10.

Hilltop might still be hurting after the 12-5 loss they got from Ayersville in their previous matchup back in March of 2024. Will the Cadets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.