Hanover Central staged a thrilling late‑inning comeback to edge Valparaiso 3–2 on Thursday, May 14, at Hanover Central High School, delivering one of their most resilient performances of the season.
Matthew Cook set the tone early, working efficiently through the Valpo lineup with four strikeouts across 3.2 innings while recording 11 outs to keep the visitors off balance. His command gave the Wildcats a steady foundation before Paulie Hobbs took over in relief. Hobbs was lights‑out, earning the win with 3.1 innings of near‑perfect pitching, allowing just one hit and striking out four to silence Valparaiso’s late push.
Offensively, Hanover’s breakthrough came in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the game hanging in the balance, Gavin Henison delivered a clutch sacrifice fly that plated both the tying and go‑ahead runs, swinging momentum firmly in the Wildcats’ favor. Earlier, Aidan Creasbaum chipped in with a key RBI to keep Hanover within striking distance. Dillon Twiddy and Geoffrey Resney added timely base hits, rounding out a balanced four‑hit attack that maximized opportunities in a tense contest.
The combination of sharp pitching and opportunistic hitting underscored Hanover Central’s ability to rise under pressure, sending home fans into celebration after a dramatic 3–2 victory.
