Greg Hicks had never started a varsity game for Thursday’s season opener, but he didn’t let that bother him. Batting ninth in the order, Hicks went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored Thursday afternoon as Republic opened its 2026 season with a 13-4 win over Hillcrest at home.
“I was just a little nervous, never playing varsity before,” Hicks said. “But when I got out there, the nerves definitely went away and it just felt like I was playing ball.”
Hillcrest struck first, scoring twice in the top of the first inning off Republic starter Preston McCracken. McCracken settled down to get out of the inning, but the Hornets had the early edge in a game between two teams playing their first of the year.
Republic answered in the second. Landon Perkins tripled, and the Tigers scratched across two runs to tie it at 2-2.
Then came the third inning.
Republic sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs in the inning, turning a tie game into an 8-2 lead. Hicks started the damage with a line drive double down the left-field line that scored two runs. Those were his first career RBIs and he marked it as his standout at-bat of the day.
“Just get it going early for the boys,” Hicks said.
Fisher Moore added a two-run double later in the inning, and Nolan Lashley drove in a run as Republic piled on against Hillcrest starter Jackson Miller.
McCracken left the mound after one inning with arm discomfort. Republic kept him in the game as a designated hitter, and he responded by going 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Kyler Tate came on in relief earlier than expected and needed a few batters to settle in. Once he did, the senior was sharp. Tate worked 4 1/3 innings, scattering five hits and striking out nine — a career high.
“I knew I was gonna pitch eventually, so I was just mentally preparing for that in the bullpen,” Tate said. “I took my time during my warmups and just tried to get in the right headspace.”
His slider was the weapon. Tate said he tunneled it well with his fastball, and Hillcrest hitters couldn’t lay off.
“I think the majority of my strikeouts were just sliders outside of the zone,” he said. “They seemed to be biting on a lot of sliders.”
Hillcrest pulled within 8-4 with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings, getting its leadoff batter on in most innings. But Tate worked around the trouble frequently, and Maddox West shut the door with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, striking out three.
Republic put the game away with five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Hicks drove in two more with a single, and Perkins added an RBI hit as the Tigers pushed the lead to 13-4.
Perkins finished 2-for-2 with a triple, two walks, and two runs scored. Lashley had three hits, and Cooper Thomas went 2-for-5 with a double.
Between the three Republic pitchers, the Tigers struck out 13 Hillcrest batters. The Hornets collected 11 hits but managed only two RBIs and left 12 runners on base.
Republic heads to Columbia on Saturday for a doubleheader against Rolla and Rock Bridge.
Linescore
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
HIL 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 11 3
REP 0 2 6 0 0 5 0 13 14 2
Republic Batting
Nolan Lashley 3-5, RBI; Cooper Thomas 2-5, RBI, 2B; Brennan Overstreet 0-3, BB; Preston McCracken 2-4, RBI, 2R; Maddox West 0-2, BB; Landon Perkins 2-2, RBI, 3B, 2 BB, 2R; Fisher Moore 1-4, 3 RBI, 2B; Chase Connell 1-4; Greg Hicks 3-4, 4 RBI, 2B, 2R.
Republic Pitching
Preston McCracken 1.0 IP, 3H, 2R, 1K; Kyler Tate 4.1 IP, 5H, 2R, 9K; Maddox West 1.2 IP, 3H, 0R, 3K.
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