The Post 22 Cadets earned an exciting 13-10 victory over the West Colorado Hot Shots 15U on Tuesday night at Fitzgerald Stadium, using a powerful offense and strong defense to build a big lead before holding off a late comeback.

The Cadets got on the scoreboard first in the opening inning. While the Hot Shots were held scoreless in the top half of the inning, Post 22 pushed across the game’s first run to take an early 1-0 lead.

The momentum continued in the second inning as the Cadets broke the game open. Post 22 scored five runs while their defense once again kept the Hot Shots off the scoreboard.

One of the biggest moments of the inning came when #4 Preston Richey delivered a single that drove in both #35 Adley Berndt and #6Ryder Palmer to extend the Cadets’ lead. Later in the inning, #21Austin Donovan found himself caught in a pickle between the bases but fought his way back safely to second, keeping the rally alive. Just a few batters later, #12 Evan Bierman came through with a clutch double that brought #21 Austin Donovan home to cap off another productive inning for the Cadets.

Both teams added a run in the third inning as the game settled into a back-and-forth battle. The Hot Shots finally got on the board, but the Cadets answered immediately to maintain control.

West Colorado picked up another run in the fourth inning while the Cadets were held scoreless, trimming the lead slightly. However, Post 22 responded in a big way during the fifth inning.

The Cadets exploded for five more runs, putting pressure back on the Hot Shots and giving themselves what looked like a comfortable lead. West Colorado answered with two runs of its own in the inning, but the Cadets still carried a sizable advantage into the late innings.

Neither team scored in the sixth inning as both defenses came through with key outs to keep the game in check heading into the seventh.

The Hot Shots refused to quit and made things interesting in the final inning. West Colorado put together a six-run rally that brought plenty of excitement to Fitzgerald Stadium and forced the Cadets to stay focused until the final out.

Despite the late push, Post 22 held on, making the defensive plays they needed to secure the 13-10 victory.

The Cadets finished the game with timely hitting throughout the lineup, taking advantage of scoring opportunities early and often. Big hits from Preston Richey and Evan Bierman highlighted the offense, while Austin Donovan’s hustle to safely return to second base helped keep one of the game’s biggest rallies alive.

It was an exciting night of baseball filled with clutch hits, aggressive baserunning, and determination from both teams. Although the Hot Shots made a strong comeback attempt in the seventh inning, the Cadets stayed composed and finished the job.

With the win, the Post 22 Cadets continue to build confidence as they move forward in their summer season, showing they have the offense to score runs early and the resilience to finish close games when the pressure is at its highest.