Hillsboro Indians return to Shaffer Park with 2021 season-opening win against Adena
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — The Hillsboro Indians have returned to the diamond for regular-season baseball for the first time since 2019. After missing last year after the season was canceled due to COVID-19, the Indians were full of energy and excitement, and it was evident the “Boys of Spring” were ready to return to action.
Return to action and then some is exactly what the Indians did at Richard Shaffer Park Saturday morning, defeating the visiting Adena Warriors of the Scioto Valley Conference by a score of 8-2 and giving the Indians a convincing victory in their 2021 season opener.
“First and foremost, I’m so happy being out here playing baseball,” HHS head coach Matt Garman said. “I’m so happy for the guys. They worked super hard last preseason to get ready for a season they never got to have. They did the same this preseason where they worked super hard.
“To get to have a day like today, it’s beautiful out, and everybody is having a good time … that is the number-one takeaway, We also played some good baseball, which makes it a lot more fun.”
Hillsboro — who is a member of the Frontier Athletic Conference — won their non-league contest by totaling eight hits and no errors, as they scored two or more runs in three of their six innings at the plate. Hillsboro scored two runs in the bottom of the second, taking a 2-1 lead, as Adena scored one of their two runs in the top of the first inning.
The Indians added two more runs in the third inning, followed later by a three-run fifth inning and one run scored in the bottom of the sixth inning. Adena’s final run was scored in the top of the fourth. The Warriors also committed four errors.
Hillsboro began their scoring efforts in the bottom of the second inning with Hunter Green hitting a lead-off double. Green finished 1-for-3 with two runs and one walk.
After the first out was recorded, Nick Lewis (one run, two RBI, one walk) drew a six-pitch walk, and Zach Humphries moved the runners over with a groundout to first base. Humphries finished 1-for-3.
The first two runs of the game crossed the plate when Spencer Wyckoff (1-for-3, two RBI) sent a two-strike pitch to centerfield, as the fly ball landed, allowing both Green and Lewis to cross home plate for a 2-1 lead.
HHS added two more runs in the bottom of the third, building a 4-1 advantage. Ryan Scott led off the inning with an eight-pitch, full-count walk. Scott finished 2-for-3 with three runs and one walk.
Next was Quintin Captain (1-for-3, one run, one walk) with a base hit off a line drive to centerfield. After the first out was in the books, the bases were loaded as he took first on a throwing error.
With one out, Tanner Warner (1-for-2, two RBI, one walk) drew a four-pitch walk with the bases loaded, scoring Scott for the 3-1 advantage. Hillsboro’s fourth run scored when Lewis hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Captain. On the throw to the infield, Hillsboro was out at second base to end the inning.
Adena scored their last run of the game in the top of the fourth, and as the game progressed, so did the intensity at the plate for the Indians, with Hillsboro scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Hillsboro half of the fifth began with Scott taking first on an infield throwing error from third base. Scott followed with a steal of second base, and Captain took first on a five-pitch walk. Coltin Hunter (1-for-4, one run, two RBI) batted in Scott on a fielder’s choice, increasing the Indians’ lead.
Green followed with a five-pitch walk, putting runners on first and second base. Warner helped the Indians break away from the Warriors by smashing a line drive to left field on the first pitch of the at-bat, scoring Hunter and moving Green to third base.
Lewis grounded out in the ensuing at-bat, but earned the RBI as Green scored from third base, completing the three-run inning for the Tribe, putting them ahead by a 7-2 score.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Indians added one final run when Scott — who had a one-out single — scored off a groundout by Hunter for the final 8-2 lead.
As solid as the offense was, don’t forget about the pitching efforts by the Indians. Warner was the winning pitcher, and the starter went six strong innings on the mound. In 95 total pitches, Warner allowed two earned runs on six hits and three walks. Warner also collected seven strikeouts and threw 16 first-pitch strikes against the 27 batters he faced.
Pitching the final inning of relief in the top of the seventh was Brayden Kisling, who in 20 pitches allowed no hits and no runs while walking two and striking out one batter.
“In all facets of the game … Tanner Warner did an amazing job on the mound, and Brayden came in and closed out the game for us. Defensively, we made plays all day,” Garman said. “Whenever they put the ball in play, we were there making a nice routine play.
“Offensively we’ve been keying on that part of our game during scrimmages, and we looked good today. We hit the ball hard, put it in play, got runners on and got intelligent at-bats from our guys.
“There were three times where we got down in the count at 0-1, 0-2 ,and we hit ground balls behind runners just like we are supposed to. We did a lot of nice intelligent things today, and for game one we are pretty pleased with that.”
Next for the Hillsboro Indians is a home game on Monday, March 29 against the Unioto Shermans, also of the SVC, with a start time scheduled for 5 p.m. in Hillsboro.
From there, the Indians will play against the Circleville Tigers in non-league action on Tuesday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.
Also this upcoming week, HHS is scheduled to play on the road on Thursday, April 1 in Clinton County against the host East Clinton Astros at 6 p.m.
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Return to action and then some is exactly what the Indians did at Richard Shaffer Park Saturday morning, defeating the visiting Adena Warriors of the Scioto Valley Conference by a score of 8-2 and giving the Indians a convincing victory in their 2021 season opener.
“First and foremost, I’m so happy being out here playing baseball,” HHS head coach Matt Garman said. “I’m so happy for the guys. They worked super hard last preseason to get ready for a season they never got to have. They did the same this preseason where they worked super hard.
“To get to have a day like today, it’s beautiful out, and everybody is having a good time … that is the number-one takeaway, We also played some good baseball, which makes it a lot more fun.”
Hillsboro — who is a member of the Frontier Athletic Conference — won their non-league contest by totaling eight hits and no errors, as they scored two or more runs in three of their six innings at the plate. Hillsboro scored two runs in the bottom of the second, taking a 2-1 lead, as Adena scored one of their two runs in the top of the first inning.
The Indians added two more runs in the third inning, followed later by a three-run fifth inning and one run scored in the bottom of the sixth inning. Adena’s final run was scored in the top of the fourth. The Warriors also committed four errors.
Hillsboro began their scoring efforts in the bottom of the second inning with Hunter Green hitting a lead-off double. Green finished 1-for-3 with two runs and one walk.
After the first out was recorded, Nick Lewis (one run, two RBI, one walk) drew a six-pitch walk, and Zach Humphries moved the runners over with a groundout to first base. Humphries finished 1-for-3.
The first two runs of the game crossed the plate when Spencer Wyckoff (1-for-3, two RBI) sent a two-strike pitch to centerfield, as the fly ball landed, allowing both Green and Lewis to cross home plate for a 2-1 lead.
HHS added two more runs in the bottom of the third, building a 4-1 advantage. Ryan Scott led off the inning with an eight-pitch, full-count walk. Scott finished 2-for-3 with three runs and one walk.
Next was Quintin Captain (1-for-3, one run, one walk) with a base hit off a line drive to centerfield. After the first out was in the books, the bases were loaded as he took first on a throwing error.
With one out, Tanner Warner (1-for-2, two RBI, one walk) drew a four-pitch walk with the bases loaded, scoring Scott for the 3-1 advantage. Hillsboro’s fourth run scored when Lewis hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Captain. On the throw to the infield, Hillsboro was out at second base to end the inning.
Adena scored their last run of the game in the top of the fourth, and as the game progressed, so did the intensity at the plate for the Indians, with Hillsboro scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Hillsboro half of the fifth began with Scott taking first on an infield throwing error from third base. Scott followed with a steal of second base, and Captain took first on a five-pitch walk. Coltin Hunter (1-for-4, one run, two RBI) batted in Scott on a fielder’s choice, increasing the Indians’ lead.
Green followed with a five-pitch walk, putting runners on first and second base. Warner helped the Indians break away from the Warriors by smashing a line drive to left field on the first pitch of the at-bat, scoring Hunter and moving Green to third base.
Lewis grounded out in the ensuing at-bat, but earned the RBI as Green scored from third base, completing the three-run inning for the Tribe, putting them ahead by a 7-2 score.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Indians added one final run when Scott — who had a one-out single — scored off a groundout by Hunter for the final 8-2 lead.
As solid as the offense was, don’t forget about the pitching efforts by the Indians. Warner was the winning pitcher, and the starter went six strong innings on the mound. In 95 total pitches, Warner allowed two earned runs on six hits and three walks. Warner also collected seven strikeouts and threw 16 first-pitch strikes against the 27 batters he faced.
Pitching the final inning of relief in the top of the seventh was Brayden Kisling, who in 20 pitches allowed no hits and no runs while walking two and striking out one batter.
“In all facets of the game … Tanner Warner did an amazing job on the mound, and Brayden came in and closed out the game for us. Defensively, we made plays all day,” Garman said. “Whenever they put the ball in play, we were there making a nice routine play.
“Offensively we’ve been keying on that part of our game during scrimmages, and we looked good today. We hit the ball hard, put it in play, got runners on and got intelligent at-bats from our guys.
“There were three times where we got down in the count at 0-1, 0-2 ,and we hit ground balls behind runners just like we are supposed to. We did a lot of nice intelligent things today, and for game one we are pretty pleased with that.”
Next for the Hillsboro Indians is a home game on Monday, March 29 against the Unioto Shermans, also of the SVC, with a start time scheduled for 5 p.m. in Hillsboro.
From there, the Indians will play against the Circleville Tigers in non-league action on Tuesday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.
Also this upcoming week, HHS is scheduled to play on the road on Thursday, April 1 in Clinton County against the host East Clinton Astros at 6 p.m.
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