Schlarman hasn't had much luck against Salt Fork recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Hilltoppers will look to defend their home field against the Storm at 7:00 p.m. Schlarman is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.
On Tuesday, Schlarman needed a bit of extra time to put away Danville. They won by a run and slipped past the Vikings 13-12. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Hilltoppers.
Jerrius Atkinson
| 04/15/25 vs Danville | 8 |
| 05/10/24 @ Casey-Westfield | 3 |
| 05/03/24 @ Watseka | 7 |
| 04/22/24 vs Oakwood | 9 |
Jerrius Atkinson made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in April of 2024. He was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances with four runs, two stolen bases, and two RBI. He has become a key player for Schlarman: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two stolen bases, but 1-3 otherwise.
In other batting news, Schlarman let Miles Crosby and Marc Villaester run wild. Crosby went 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI, while Villaester went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Crosby is becoming a predictor of Schlarman's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 1-3 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Peyton Kummerle, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
Meanwhile, Salt Fork entered their game against LeRoy on Friday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. The Storm took a 9-5 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Panthers.
Schlarman pushed their record up to 4-3 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.5 runs over those games. As for Salt Fork, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-4.
Schlarman suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Salt Fork when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Hilltoppers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
