hitter

plural hitters

1. One who or that which hits.

   The boxer was renowned as a hard hitter.

2. slangAn assassin for hire; a hitman.

   Death was Halston's business; he had brought it to eighteen men and six women in his career as an independent hitter.

   2008, Stephen King, Just After Sunset

3. ball gamesOne who comes up to bat.

   He struck out six of the last seven batters, striking out the side in the eighth and fanning two hitters in the ninth.

   1994 June 24, The Associated Press, “BASEBALL; A's Witt, Nearly Perfect, Says It's Ump Who Wasn't”, in The New York Times

4. in compoundsball gamesA game with a team making a specified number of hits.

   Witt, who had thrown three two-hitters in his career, was in control throughout and showed no signs of fatigue.

   1994 June 24, The Associated Press, “BASEBALL; A's Witt, Nearly Perfect, Says It's Ump Who Wasn't”, in The New York Times

   2 more examples

   Mike Flanagan (1-2) hurled a four-hitter in 50-degree weather made colder by wind gusting up to 25 miles an hour. […] Ross Baumgarten (2-1) combined with Lamarr Hoyt on a seven-hitter to hand Detroit its sixth straight loss.

   1981 April 26, UPI, “Royals Top Brewers on Gura's 3-Hitter, 4-2”, in The New York Times

   You’ve never pitched a no-hitter or a one-hitter or a two-hitter or a three-hitter, because you’ve never pitched nine innings.

   2021 May 5, Tyler Kepner, “With No-Hitter, John Means Opens Up a World of Possibilities”, in The New York Times

5. card gamesThe point of 31 in the game of costly colours.