ALAH baseball on three-game winning streak

By Editor | March 31, 2026 |

Marcus Otto, a junior on the ALAH high school baseball team, slides safely into second base with a stolen base in the fourth inning of the Knights’ game against the ACS Conquering Riders on March 26. Marcus would go on to score in the inning which was a big one for ALAH as they plated five runs in that inning.

By Mike Monahan

NEOGA – After a 7-5 non-conference loss to Monticello March 24 on the Sages turf field, Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond’s baseball team reeled off three straight non-confertence wins. It started last Thursday with a 15-3 win over Arthur Christian and was followed on Friday with a 13-2 triumph over Central A &M and finished off with a 13-4 victory over Neoga on the road Saturday.

The Knights, 5-2, outscored its opponents 41-9 in the three games and outhit them 38-17. ALAH’s Wyatt Hillgoss was 6-for-10 in the week with two home runs, a double, three stolen bases and five RBIs during the streak, while John Williams was 4-for-9 with three stolen bases and five RBIs. Marcus Otto was also 4-for-11 with a home run, two stolen bases and five RBIs.

Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond at Neoga, Saturday

ALAH trailed 2-0 when they took the lead for good with a three-run third inning. All runs scored with two outs. Hilligoss singled to left field, Williams walked and Otto hit a single, driving in Hilligoss. Max Boddy singled to center, scoring Williams. Logan Butcher had the third straight single as Otto scored.

The Knights broke it open in the fifth scoring seven runs and after Neoga scored two runs to make it 10-4 ALAH added three runs in the seventh for the nine-run win.

Central A&M at ALAH, Friday

The Knights trailed 2-0 when they tied the game with two runs in the third. ALAH took the lead for good with a four run fourth. Butcher was hit by a pitch, Kody Burdick singled to right and with one out Donovan Vanausdoll singled to load the bases. Jansen Burnett walked, forcing in Butcher. HIlligoss, the leadoff hitter, came through with a two-run double and Williams singled, scoring Burnett.

Again ALAH had a big inning to take control and this was fifth as they scored seven runs ending the game with two outs due to the 10-run rule.

ALAH at Arthur Christian, Thursday

The game was deadlocked at three when ALAH scored five runs in the fourth and went on to win by 12 in the game called due to the 10 run rule.

In the fourth the first four runners reached as Burdick walked on four pitches and advanced to second on a passed ball. Vanasdoll drove in Burdick with a single to left and stole second. Landon Franklin walked and stole third after a balk. Hilligoss reached on a walk. Vanausdoll scored on a wild pitch and Franklin scored on a ground ball. Otto walked, but a runner was out at home. Boddy singled in Otto and Boddy scored on a single by Logan Schrock.

The Knights did not allow a single earned run.

ALAH at Monticello, March 24

Monticello scored six of its seven runs in the first two innings and led 6-1 when the Knights scored two in the third and fourth to make it 6-5.

The Knights had chances to take the lead or tie in the sixth when Vanaudsoll led off with a double, Burnett was hit by a pitch and with one out both runners moved into scoring position on a fielder’s choice. However, the Sages got out of the inning on a ground out.

ALAH 13, Neoga 4
ALAH 003 070 3–13-16-1
Neoga 110 002 0–4-9-6

Winning pitcher: Kody Burdick 1 ⅓ innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 2 strikeouts, 2 walks; starter: Donovan Vanausdoll 2 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, 5 strikeouts, 4 walks; relief: Logan Butcher 1 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 strikeouts, 0 walks; John Williams 1 ⅔ innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 strikeout, 0 walks; Wyatt Hilligoss 1 inning, 2 hits, 2 runs, 0 earned, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk

ALAH: Hilligoss 2-for-5, home run, stolen base, 2 runs, RBI; Williams 1-for-4, 2 runs; Marcus Otto 3-for-5, home run, stolen base, 3 runs, 4 RBIs; Max Boddy 2-for-5, RBI; Lucas Butcher 2-for-5, run, RBI; Burdick 1-for-3, run; Logan Schrock 2-for-5, stolen base, run; Vanausdoll 2-for-4, double, stolen base, run, 2 RBIs; Jansen Burnett 1-for-3, RBI; Landon Franklin run

ALAH 13, Central A&M 2
Central A&M 200 00–2-6-3
ALAH 002 47–13-12-0

Winning pitcher: Boddy 5 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 strikeouts, 0 walks

ALAH: Hilligoss 3-for-4, 2 runs, double, home run, stolen base, 4 RBIs; Williams 2-for-2, run, 2 stolen bases, 2 RBIs; Otto 1-for-4, run, RBI; Boddy 1-for-4, run, double, 2 RBIs; Butcher 1-for-2, double, 2 runs, RBI; Burdick 1-for-3, 2 runs, RBI; Vanausdoll 1-for-2, sacrifice, run, RBI; Burnett 2-for-2, 3 runs, RBI

ALAH 15, Arthur Christian 3
ALAH 021 570–15-10-3
AC 003 00x–3-2-2

Winning pitcher: Franklin 2 ⅓ innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 3 strikeouts, 0 walks; Starter: Otto 2 ⅔ innings, 2 hits, 3 runs, 0 earned, 7 strikeouts, 5 walks

ALAH: Hilligoss 1-for-1, double, stolen base; Williams 1-for-3, run, stolen base, 3 RBIs; Otto run, stolen base; Brunett run; Boddy 1-for-4, run, stolen base, RBI; Butcher 1-for-2, home run, 2 runs, RBI; Schrock 1-for-3, RBI; Griffin HIlton run, RBI; Burdick 2-for-3, 3 runs, home run, 4 RBIs; Vanausdoll 3-for-3, double, 2 runs, 3 stolen bases, 2 RBIs; Franklin 3 runs, 3 stolen bases

Monticello 7, ALAH 5
ALAH 102 200 0–5-5-3
Monticello 240 001 x–7-9-1

Losing pitcher: Williams 4 innings, 7 hits, 6 runs, 0 earned, 1 strikeout, 1 walk; Burnett 2 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 earned, 1 strikeout, 3 walks

ALAH: Hilligoss run; Williams run; Otto 2-for-4, double, run, triple, 3 RBIs; Boddy 1-for-3; Schrock 1-for-3, RBI; Vanausdoll 1-for-3, double; Franklin 2 runs, stolen base