Indians slip in final inning against Blue Lions
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
WASHINGTON C.H. — At points of this 2011 season, miscues and not being able to close out an inning have been the Achilles heel of the Hillsboro Indians' baseball team.
That story didn't change on a wet, cold and at times windy Friday night against the Washington Blue Lions, in a 8-7 loss at the home of the Blue Lions.
Hillsboro tied the score in their half of the seventh, but with two outs, Washington's Justin Hall hit a two-out triple to centerfield. He scored the game-winning run on a fielding error, on a ball hit by Chris Warning, by the Indians' shortstop, as he lost his footing in the soggy infield, allowing Hall to reach home for the South Central Ohio League win.
"Chris (Warning) got some big hits for us, and he executed well," Washington head coach Troy Montgomery said. "He battled back after some adversity in his earlier at-bats."
Washington improves to 4-1 in the SCOL and 7-3 overall. The Indians fall to 3-7 overall and 1-3 in the league.
HHS head coach Tim Hunt spoke about how the Indians are almost where they want to be, but they need to be able to close out an inning.
"Seems like it's one inning with us. There is that one inning that just haunts our team," Hunt said. "We just can't close out an inning.
"We are so close to closing out a game. The kids battle no matter what, and they are working hard. We got two quick outs, they (WCH) hit a triple. Dow (Kiefer) battled … he got them to hit a grounder, but we just lost our footing. It's frustrating."
Though the Indians weren't able to finish, they started fast. They scored two runs in the top of the first inning and led 2-0 through the first three innings.
Corey Walker began the game with a lead-off base hit to centerfield. Brandon Wilson followed with yet another single to centerfield. Kiefer loaded the bases with a walk. A.J. Helterbrand hit a sacrifice fly to score Walker. The second run scored on an infield error by the Blue Lions.
HHS added a third run in the top of the fourth when Walker was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, sending home Tyler Griego from third. Griego reached the bases on a fielder's choice.
The three-run lead went away in the fourth as the Blue Lions had three runners cross home plate, tying the score.
Nathan Carter began the fourth with a walk. Pinch runner Kaleb Eckles stole second base and scored on a base hit by Bret Starkey.
After Colton Sanderson singled to centerfield and stole second, he took third on a bunt base hit by Brandon Johnson, allowing Starkey to score. Sanderson tied the game scoring on a passed ball.
"Baseball is a game of adjustments," Montgomery said. "We made plenty of mistakes too, but I don't feel like we ran ourselves out of any inning, and in a game like this … that was big."
The Indians didn't wait long to regain the lead, scoring three times in the top of the fifth for a 6-3 lead.
The fifth began with Kiefer reaching on an infield throwing error, followed by a perfectly placed bunt past the pitcher by Helterbrand. Kiefer scored on a passed ball, and Helterbrand added a run on a one-out single to centerfield by Griego, who was out at second base.
Aric Carroll doubled to left field on a high fly ball that landed just in the field of play. Carroll eventually scored on a passed ball for a three-run lead.
Then came the chapter of the game the Indians would rather forget. In the sixth inning, Washington sent 10 batters to the plate, scoring four runs on four hits, two walks and one error.
Tyler Spears doubled to right field to start the Blue Lion sixth. Brandon Johnson reached on an error, and the bases were loaded with a walk by Michael Penwell.
On a 3-1 count, Hall hit a two-run double to score Spears and Johnson. Carter batted in Penwell with a base hit, on a 2-2-count, tying the game at six. Washington took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Starkey.
HHS continued to fight, tying the game at the top of the seventh. The run came when Carroll singled down the third base line to start the inning. He stole second, and with two outs, he crossed home plate on an error in the outfield.
"The way we bounced back after (Thursday) … the guys came today and worked hard," Hunt said. "They have a passion for the game. The guys will get better and we will turn things around."
Kiefer was charged with the loss for HHS, and the win went to Warning, who is now 4-1 on the season.
Helterbrand started the game for the Tribe pitching five complete innings and to four batters int the sixth. He left with a 6-5 lead. Helterbrand finished with seven strikeouts.
"A.J. pitched well against us," Montgomery said. "Credit Hillsboro, they are a good team."
The starting pitcher for Washington was Chance Therrian, followed by Penwell replacing him in the fourth inning with no outs. Penwell was relieved on the mound in the fifth inning with two outs.
Hillsboro is scheduled for a doubleheader at New Richmond on Saturday, with the first game starting at 11 a.m.
BOX SCORE
HHS 200 130 1 — 7
WCH 000 304 1 — 8[[In-content Ad]]
That story didn't change on a wet, cold and at times windy Friday night against the Washington Blue Lions, in a 8-7 loss at the home of the Blue Lions.
Hillsboro tied the score in their half of the seventh, but with two outs, Washington's Justin Hall hit a two-out triple to centerfield. He scored the game-winning run on a fielding error, on a ball hit by Chris Warning, by the Indians' shortstop, as he lost his footing in the soggy infield, allowing Hall to reach home for the South Central Ohio League win.
"Chris (Warning) got some big hits for us, and he executed well," Washington head coach Troy Montgomery said. "He battled back after some adversity in his earlier at-bats."
Washington improves to 4-1 in the SCOL and 7-3 overall. The Indians fall to 3-7 overall and 1-3 in the league.
HHS head coach Tim Hunt spoke about how the Indians are almost where they want to be, but they need to be able to close out an inning.
"Seems like it's one inning with us. There is that one inning that just haunts our team," Hunt said. "We just can't close out an inning.
"We are so close to closing out a game. The kids battle no matter what, and they are working hard. We got two quick outs, they (WCH) hit a triple. Dow (Kiefer) battled … he got them to hit a grounder, but we just lost our footing. It's frustrating."
Though the Indians weren't able to finish, they started fast. They scored two runs in the top of the first inning and led 2-0 through the first three innings.
Corey Walker began the game with a lead-off base hit to centerfield. Brandon Wilson followed with yet another single to centerfield. Kiefer loaded the bases with a walk. A.J. Helterbrand hit a sacrifice fly to score Walker. The second run scored on an infield error by the Blue Lions.
HHS added a third run in the top of the fourth when Walker was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, sending home Tyler Griego from third. Griego reached the bases on a fielder's choice.
The three-run lead went away in the fourth as the Blue Lions had three runners cross home plate, tying the score.
Nathan Carter began the fourth with a walk. Pinch runner Kaleb Eckles stole second base and scored on a base hit by Bret Starkey.
After Colton Sanderson singled to centerfield and stole second, he took third on a bunt base hit by Brandon Johnson, allowing Starkey to score. Sanderson tied the game scoring on a passed ball.
"Baseball is a game of adjustments," Montgomery said. "We made plenty of mistakes too, but I don't feel like we ran ourselves out of any inning, and in a game like this … that was big."
The Indians didn't wait long to regain the lead, scoring three times in the top of the fifth for a 6-3 lead.
The fifth began with Kiefer reaching on an infield throwing error, followed by a perfectly placed bunt past the pitcher by Helterbrand. Kiefer scored on a passed ball, and Helterbrand added a run on a one-out single to centerfield by Griego, who was out at second base.
Aric Carroll doubled to left field on a high fly ball that landed just in the field of play. Carroll eventually scored on a passed ball for a three-run lead.
Then came the chapter of the game the Indians would rather forget. In the sixth inning, Washington sent 10 batters to the plate, scoring four runs on four hits, two walks and one error.
Tyler Spears doubled to right field to start the Blue Lion sixth. Brandon Johnson reached on an error, and the bases were loaded with a walk by Michael Penwell.
On a 3-1 count, Hall hit a two-run double to score Spears and Johnson. Carter batted in Penwell with a base hit, on a 2-2-count, tying the game at six. Washington took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Starkey.
HHS continued to fight, tying the game at the top of the seventh. The run came when Carroll singled down the third base line to start the inning. He stole second, and with two outs, he crossed home plate on an error in the outfield.
"The way we bounced back after (Thursday) … the guys came today and worked hard," Hunt said. "They have a passion for the game. The guys will get better and we will turn things around."
Kiefer was charged with the loss for HHS, and the win went to Warning, who is now 4-1 on the season.
Helterbrand started the game for the Tribe pitching five complete innings and to four batters int the sixth. He left with a 6-5 lead. Helterbrand finished with seven strikeouts.
"A.J. pitched well against us," Montgomery said. "Credit Hillsboro, they are a good team."
The starting pitcher for Washington was Chance Therrian, followed by Penwell replacing him in the fourth inning with no outs. Penwell was relieved on the mound in the fifth inning with two outs.
Hillsboro is scheduled for a doubleheader at New Richmond on Saturday, with the first game starting at 11 a.m.
BOX SCORE
HHS 200 130 1 — 7
WCH 000 304 1 — 8[[In-content Ad]]