It was two teams with different goals.
For Helias 1, the Crusaders' eight seniors are using the summer baseball league for one last ride together. For the Fulton Hornets, it's a league designed to improve for the future.
The present had its way with the future Tuesday night at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex as Helias posted victories of 14-0 and 18-1 in games shortened by run rule.
"Fulton historically had some pretty good baseball teams and I think they will get back there again," Helias 1 coach Garrett Wiggans said. "But tonight, we played up to our level and our level can be pretty good a lot of nights."
In the opener, Helias scored three runs in the first inning. Jaden Kolb hit a one-out double and stayed at second as Trevor Austin followed with an infield single. They moved up a base on a wild pitch before Zach Wolken walked to load the bases.
Jake Weaver drove home the first run of the game on a groundout. Zach Paschal then reached on a throwing error by the pitcher as Austin and Wolken scored.
The first six Crusaders reached base in the second inning as Helias scored six times. Alex Loethen and Peyton Huddleston had two-run singles to key the inning.
Helias then scored five times in the third, all with two out. Austin tripled and scored on a single by Wolken. After Weaver walked, Paschel followed with a single to center to score Wolken. The ball scooted past the outfielder on the play as Weaver came around to score and when the throw to attempt to get Paschal out at third got away, he came home to score to make it 13-0.
Huddleston then singled before moving to second on a passed ball. He then scored on a single by Ethan Holzhauser with Helias' final run of the game.
Austin and Wolken scored three times each in the opener. Kolb and Austin had two hits each in a nine-hit Helias attack.
Zane Crocker-Nierman got the win for the Crusaders, going the distance in the 31/2-inning contest. He allowed four hits and one walk while striking out three.
"Zane has had knee surgeries, he hasn't had a chance to play the past couple of years," Wiggans said. "It's good to see him get out here and compete because we will be counting on him next year as a senior."
In the second game, Helias scored eight times in the first and 10 times in the second in a game shortened to 21/2 innings. The Crusaders had five different players in the lineup in the nightcap.
"I haven't had to motivate them, it's a coach's dream," Wiggans said. "They show up ready to play every time they come out here, ready to win.
"We competed, we just didn't roll over and win a 3-0 game or anything. We're here to win and if I'm not doing my job to get them to play at their best level, I know I'm going to hear about it."
Alex Loethen had a two-run inside the park home run in the first inning for Helias, who had five hits and drew four walks in the frame.
The Crusaders scored 10 times in the second on nine hits and three walks. Loethen had a two-run double and a bases-loaded walk to finish the game with five RBI.
Helias, who sent 16 batters to plate in the inning, had station-to-station baserunning as the lead grew larger.
"You don't ever want to embarrass a team, but you do want to continue to compete," Wiggans said.
Huddleston and Paschel scored three times each in the second game. Aleck Barchinski and Huddleston had three hits each in a 13-hit attack.
Loethen was the winning pitcher, going all three innings. He allowed a run on five hits and a walk while recording four strikeouts.
Helias 1 is back in action next Tuesday at home against Harrisburg. Fulton will host Helias 2 next Tuesday.