Rain showers and an early deficit did not deter the Hillcrest Academy Raven baseball team Tuesday night in Letts as they collected their first victory of 2022, taking down Louisa-Muscatine 8-3. Hillcrest scored twice in their first at bat with Josiah Beachy and Grant Bender driving in Luke Schrock and Seth Ours. Louisa-Muscatine answered back with three of their own to take a short-lived 3-2 advantage. Hillcrest came back with matching three run frames in the second and third to sprint to a lead they wouldn’t give up the rest of the night. In the second, the Ravens sent eight men to the plate, pounding out six hits with Seth Ours and Josiah Beachy delivering RBI doubles in the rally. That was plenty for Raven starter Luke Schrock who went the distance, throwing north of 100 pitches in seven innings, giving up six hits, one earned run and striking out 10. He spoke with KCII Sports after the game about his night on the hill, at the plate and getting the team’s first win. “This feels good after we struggled through the first couple (games) this year. They got some on me early, but my arm just kept feeling better and better as the night went on. Our approach at the plate was to find a fast ball and drive it. It was important to get hits early and score.”

Schrock led the team with three hits. Ours and Beachy each drove in two. Eight of the nine Ravens in the lineup reached base and six of the nine scored. Hillcrest is now 1-2 on the year as they prepare for Mediapolis to visit Kalona Thursday.

At the softball complex in Letts, No. 12 Louisa-Muscatine was a 12-0 winner in four innings. The Falcons had seven hits against Hillcrest, while limiting the Ravens to three. Morgan Stecher drove in three for L-M and Piper Brant recorded the win in the circle striking out four. The Falcons are now 6-1 on the year, the Ravens fall to 0-4 and get ready for MEPO Thursday.