Three Lexington pitchers combined to hold Mt. Pulaski to just one run as the Minute Men defeated the Hilltoppers 3-1 in a high school baseball sectional semifinal matchup on Wednesday at Illinois Wesleyan. 

Jack Miller got the start and pitched five innings, allowing five hits, one run, and striking out four. The Mt. Pulaski bats were only further limited from there as Drake Powell and Blaine Friedmansky combined for two innings of shutout relief. 

Mt. Pulaski got on the board first after a leadoff single in the top of the third from Carter Clark. After a sac bunt moved Clark to second, Chase Roberts singled in Clark to make it 1-0. 

Lexington answered back when Powell led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple and then scored on a wild pitch during the next at-bat to even the game at 1-1. They added another two runs in the fifth, highlighted by RBI singles from Powell and Braeden Barber to take the 3-1 win. 

Powell led the Minute Men with a 2-for-3 day at the plate, scoring once and driving in a run. Friedmansky was also 2-for-3 and came home once. Barber was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored as well. 

Preston Cowan led the Mt. Pulaski bats with a 2-for-3 performance. Clark was 1-for-3 with the lone run for the Hilltoppers. Aaron Volle, Luke Martin, and Tyler Cross also had hits. 

Clark started on the mound for Mt. Pulaski, pitching 3.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits, striking out five, and permitting two walks. Volle allowed two runs and three hits over 1 and ? innings while striking out two. Jaeden Jackson struck out two in a shutout inning of relief. 

Lexington improves to 23-11 and advances to the Sectional Championship against Tremont at Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday at 11 AM. Mt. Pulaski finishes the campaign 22-12.