Indians score 17 runs in win over Tigers
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD — Playing their first game in exactly one week due to inclement weather, the Hillsboro Indians played their Highland County and South Central Ohio League rival McClain and didn’t disappoint their fan base by gaining the road victory.
The Indians defeated the Tigers, 17-5 by hitting the baseball hard and taking advantage of fielding miscues by the Tigers, en route to their third win of the season as they moved to 3-5 overall. The loss drops the Tigers to 0-10.
For McClain, in what was their home opener of the season at Mitchell Park, they scored early with a one-run first, two-run second and one-run third to at the time trail by just two runs at 6-4 after three innings.
The Indians gained their six runs after three innings with a three-run first, one-run second and then added two more runs in the third for the two-run lead.
Both teams were scoreless in the fourth inning, but in the top of the fifth, the Indians added another run to their total for a 7-4 advantage.
That lead eventually morphed from three runs to 12 runs following the conclusion of the final two innings as HHS tallied consecutive five-run innings in the sixth and seventh, while MHS scored one final run in the bottom of the seventh as HHS ended the game on a 4-3 double play.
“We are starting to hit the ball more, and that’s good to see,” HHS head coach Tim Hunt said. “One of our problems early on was keeping our feet back, but the kids have been extremely focused and trying a new hitting technique … it looked a lot better (Tuesday) and in the cages as well.
“We got our defense cleaned up, reduced our errors, and overall, I can’t complain. The kids were focused for the whole game, and that’s what we’ve been talking a lot about though the first seven games was maintaining focus throughout the entire game.”
In all, the Indians out-hit the Tigers, 15-6. Combined, the two county rivals committed 11 errors, with MHS having seven and the Indians with four.
“The first thing I told them after the game was this wasn’t the same team I watched defensively on Wednesday (at Washington),” MHS head coach Rich Bunner said. “(Wednesday) we hit the ball hard, but their pitcher was good. We were on top of it, ran the bases well, but the mental mistakes … this wasn’t the same team I’ve watched defensively the past two games.”
Jacob Helterbrand was the winning pitcher, going six innings. He allowed five runs (two earned) on six hits, two walks and three hit batters on 91 pitchers (faced 30 batters). The HHS hurler struck out seven. Sajoun Jones pitched the seventh inning where he retired the side in order, allowing no runs, hits or walks.
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“Jake did a good job (Wednesday),” Hunt said. “He was a little frustrated when I went out to get him, but he was around 90 pitches, so we didn’t want to leave him out there any longer.”
At the plate for the Indians, lead-off batter Mason Stanley was 3-for-5 with three runs. Wyatt Condo had two hits, as did Brian Smith, with Smith leading the Tribe with four RBIs and Condo tallying three RBIs. Also with four RBIs was Jesse Walker, as he had one hit, a double.
Ryan Hagan led HHS with five runs, while Jacob DeAtley, Condo and Hunter Chain each had two runs. Scoring one run each were Smith, Walker and Helterbrand. The Indians forced four walks in the game.
“Whenever you have a week off, as a coach you wonder what team is going to show up, if they are going to maintain focus and make adjustments, and this game they came ready to play,” Hunt said.
The loss went to Jacob Stone, as he pitched five innings, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits and three walks. He finished with three strikeouts, facing 28 batters. Dakota Hampton pitched two innings of relief, where he allowed three earned runs on six hits and one walk.
McClain was led by Jacob Beatty, who was 2-for-4 with one RBI. Austin Booth, Randall Mischal, Jacob Easter and Hampton each had one hit.
Scoring runs for MHS were Wesley Rumer, Mischal (2), Easter and Hampton. Mischal and Travis Hall each drew a walk for the Tigers.
“Our hitting was good, our pitching was good, but when you boot the ball around six or seven times, it is hard to stay focused,” Bunner said. “I pitched in school, and it is frustrating when you throw outs and you give teams four or five extra outs a game.
“I thought with this basically being Opening Day for us at home, the kids would be a little more pumped up against a county rival, but they came out flat. I blame myself first and foremost, because it is my job to get them ready to play and right now they are showing up flat at times. I need to fix that.”
The Indians play on Thursday vs. the Washington Blue Lions at Shaffer Park, and on Friday they host the East Clinton Astros. Both games are league games, beginning at 5 p.m.
MHS will play again on Friday when they host the Wilmington Hurricane at 5 p.m. in SCOL play.
The Indians defeated the Tigers, 17-5 by hitting the baseball hard and taking advantage of fielding miscues by the Tigers, en route to their third win of the season as they moved to 3-5 overall. The loss drops the Tigers to 0-10.
For McClain, in what was their home opener of the season at Mitchell Park, they scored early with a one-run first, two-run second and one-run third to at the time trail by just two runs at 6-4 after three innings.
The Indians gained their six runs after three innings with a three-run first, one-run second and then added two more runs in the third for the two-run lead.
Both teams were scoreless in the fourth inning, but in the top of the fifth, the Indians added another run to their total for a 7-4 advantage.
That lead eventually morphed from three runs to 12 runs following the conclusion of the final two innings as HHS tallied consecutive five-run innings in the sixth and seventh, while MHS scored one final run in the bottom of the seventh as HHS ended the game on a 4-3 double play.
“We are starting to hit the ball more, and that’s good to see,” HHS head coach Tim Hunt said. “One of our problems early on was keeping our feet back, but the kids have been extremely focused and trying a new hitting technique … it looked a lot better (Tuesday) and in the cages as well.
“We got our defense cleaned up, reduced our errors, and overall, I can’t complain. The kids were focused for the whole game, and that’s what we’ve been talking a lot about though the first seven games was maintaining focus throughout the entire game.”
In all, the Indians out-hit the Tigers, 15-6. Combined, the two county rivals committed 11 errors, with MHS having seven and the Indians with four.
“The first thing I told them after the game was this wasn’t the same team I watched defensively on Wednesday (at Washington),” MHS head coach Rich Bunner said. “(Wednesday) we hit the ball hard, but their pitcher was good. We were on top of it, ran the bases well, but the mental mistakes … this wasn’t the same team I’ve watched defensively the past two games.”
Jacob Helterbrand was the winning pitcher, going six innings. He allowed five runs (two earned) on six hits, two walks and three hit batters on 91 pitchers (faced 30 batters). The HHS hurler struck out seven. Sajoun Jones pitched the seventh inning where he retired the side in order, allowing no runs, hits or walks.
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“Jake did a good job (Wednesday),” Hunt said. “He was a little frustrated when I went out to get him, but he was around 90 pitches, so we didn’t want to leave him out there any longer.”
At the plate for the Indians, lead-off batter Mason Stanley was 3-for-5 with three runs. Wyatt Condo had two hits, as did Brian Smith, with Smith leading the Tribe with four RBIs and Condo tallying three RBIs. Also with four RBIs was Jesse Walker, as he had one hit, a double.
Ryan Hagan led HHS with five runs, while Jacob DeAtley, Condo and Hunter Chain each had two runs. Scoring one run each were Smith, Walker and Helterbrand. The Indians forced four walks in the game.
“Whenever you have a week off, as a coach you wonder what team is going to show up, if they are going to maintain focus and make adjustments, and this game they came ready to play,” Hunt said.
The loss went to Jacob Stone, as he pitched five innings, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits and three walks. He finished with three strikeouts, facing 28 batters. Dakota Hampton pitched two innings of relief, where he allowed three earned runs on six hits and one walk.
McClain was led by Jacob Beatty, who was 2-for-4 with one RBI. Austin Booth, Randall Mischal, Jacob Easter and Hampton each had one hit.
Scoring runs for MHS were Wesley Rumer, Mischal (2), Easter and Hampton. Mischal and Travis Hall each drew a walk for the Tigers.
“Our hitting was good, our pitching was good, but when you boot the ball around six or seven times, it is hard to stay focused,” Bunner said. “I pitched in school, and it is frustrating when you throw outs and you give teams four or five extra outs a game.
“I thought with this basically being Opening Day for us at home, the kids would be a little more pumped up against a county rival, but they came out flat. I blame myself first and foremost, because it is my job to get them ready to play and right now they are showing up flat at times. I need to fix that.”
The Indians play on Thursday vs. the Washington Blue Lions at Shaffer Park, and on Friday they host the East Clinton Astros. Both games are league games, beginning at 5 p.m.
MHS will play again on Friday when they host the Wilmington Hurricane at 5 p.m. in SCOL play.