Chester County leaned on a dominant pitching performance and timely hitting Thursday night, defeating East Hickman 4-0 at Freed-Hardeman University.
Ross Hopper was the standout pitcher for the Eagles, delivering a complete-game shutout with only one hit allowed. The senior struck out eight and worked through six walks, stranding runners throughout the night to keep East Hickman off the board.
Chester County broke through in the bottom of the second inning. Heath Stewart put the Eagles on the board with a sacrifice fly, and Ethan Burks followed with a bases-loaded walk to push the lead to 2-0.
Lane Estes added to the advantage in the third inning, sending a solo home run to left field to extend the lead to 3-0.
From there, Hopper and the Eagles’ defense took control. Chester County handled every scoring threat, including working out of multiple innings with runners on base.
The Eagles finished with 10 hits at the plate, led by Elam Murphy, who went 3-for-3. Braylin Robinson added a pair of hits, while Burks, Stewart, Estes, and Ethan Rhodes each drove in a run.
Chester County also applied pressure on the bases, with Dayton Lemmings stealing two bases, and turned in a clean defensive effort highlighted by a double play.
Thursday’s matchup featured a familiar face in the opposing dugout, as East Hickman is led by head coach Colton Huntt, a Chester County High School alumnus.
