Post 129 keeps season alive
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CHILLICOTHE — For Hillsboro Post 129, every game from here on out in the District 7 tournament is a "must-win" game, and on Sunday night, the Hillsboro club kept their season alive by the thinnest of margins.
Post 129 defeated the Chillicothe Post 757 Colts 7-6 in 10 innings to move on to play Monday in the District 7 tournament, where they will face the Washington Post 25 Aces at 1:30 p.m. at VA Memorial Stadium.
Post 129 head coach Ritchie Butler said it best following the extra-inning win by his club, saying "This game was just like our whole season … you just never know."
Butler was correct in his assessment of his club, as they lost a three-run lead in the ninth inning, only to rally back in the bottom of the 10th with a clutch walk-off hit by Stephen Pappas, scoring Dustin Taylor from third and sending the Hillsboro club home with their first tournament win of the postseason.
Hillsboro stands at 21-22 overall (10-6, SCOL) and 1-1 in the postseason. Earlier in the day, Hillsboro lost to the Circleville Post 134 Panthers, 5-0.
The inning that sealed the game was the bottom of the 10th where Taylor began the inning with a single to centerfield, followed by a bunt base hit by Bryce Bean. Matt Carey reached on an error, and that set up the Pappas single (on a 1-0 count) to score Taylor and the game-winning run.
The entire game mirrored most of the previous meetings between the teams this season. In their first four games, Hillsboro won three times, but only one of the wins came easily, as each time the multi-run lead by Hillsboro was wiped away with a rally by the Colts, and Sunday was no different.
"Every game with Post 757 has been a dog fight except for one," Butler said. "This is the best we've seen them this season, and they have improved a lot.
"It was good to see the boys battle back, but we put ourselves in the position to begin with."
Chillicothe scored first in the top of the second, but in the bottom of the third, Hillsboro responded by tying the game at one run apiece.
Ian Adams (3-for-5) doubled with one out to right-centerfield, went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Corey Walker and scored on a single hit to right field, landing in between three players by Cody Shaver
.
Post 129 took the lead for the first time in the fourth with runs scored by Zach Uhl and Taylor. Uhl opened the inning with a double to the centerfield wall and scored on a double to left field by Taylor. Taylor reached third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Bean for the 3-1 lead.
In the sixth, Post 757 scored one run, but it was equaled by Hillsboro in their half of the inning with Bean scoring on a passed ball with two outs. Bean singled to start the inning, reached second on a base hit by Nathaniel Miller (2-for-4) and third on a sacrifice bunt by Pappas.
Again, Chillicothe crept closer to the Hillsboro lead, scoring a run in the top of the eighth, and again Hillsboro was there to answer and then some, taking a 6-3 lead after eight full innings.
Taylor (3-for-4) started the Hillsboro eighth with a walk, followed by a double from Bean, who sent the ball to centerfield. Bean finished 3-for-3 with one walk and a sacrifice bunt.
Down to their final out of the inning, Adams came through with yet another hit, this time sending the ball to centerfield for two bases and two RBIs, scoring Taylor and Bean for the aforementioned 6-3 lead.
"Ian's hit with two outs … that proved to be critical," Butler said. "Those runs were big because we gave up three in the ninth."
Post 757 scored three runs in the ninth on two hits, two walks and a fielder's choice.
The win went to Uhl, who entered the game in the ninth inning with two outs. He retired all four batters he faced combined in the 1 1-3 innings he pitched in relief. Uhl struck out one.
Jacob Dillon pitched 1 2-3 innings of relief, allowing four runs with one strikeout.
The no-decision went to Tucker Hughes, who pitched seven innings as the starting pitcher. This was Hughes' fifth no-decision of the season. Hughes allowed two runs on nine hits and three walks. He struck out three batters.
GAME NOTES: Hillsboro is 4-1 this season against Post 757 … Post 129 is 4-1 this season against their next opponent (Post 25) this season … For the day (two games) Ian Adams was 5-for-9 … Hillsboro forced four walks in their two Sunday games … Hillsboro had 15 hits against Post 757, Sunday … Hillsboro had three total sacrifices against Post 757.[[In-content Ad]]
Post 129 defeated the Chillicothe Post 757 Colts 7-6 in 10 innings to move on to play Monday in the District 7 tournament, where they will face the Washington Post 25 Aces at 1:30 p.m. at VA Memorial Stadium.
Post 129 head coach Ritchie Butler said it best following the extra-inning win by his club, saying "This game was just like our whole season … you just never know."
Butler was correct in his assessment of his club, as they lost a three-run lead in the ninth inning, only to rally back in the bottom of the 10th with a clutch walk-off hit by Stephen Pappas, scoring Dustin Taylor from third and sending the Hillsboro club home with their first tournament win of the postseason.
Hillsboro stands at 21-22 overall (10-6, SCOL) and 1-1 in the postseason. Earlier in the day, Hillsboro lost to the Circleville Post 134 Panthers, 5-0.
The inning that sealed the game was the bottom of the 10th where Taylor began the inning with a single to centerfield, followed by a bunt base hit by Bryce Bean. Matt Carey reached on an error, and that set up the Pappas single (on a 1-0 count) to score Taylor and the game-winning run.
The entire game mirrored most of the previous meetings between the teams this season. In their first four games, Hillsboro won three times, but only one of the wins came easily, as each time the multi-run lead by Hillsboro was wiped away with a rally by the Colts, and Sunday was no different.
"Every game with Post 757 has been a dog fight except for one," Butler said. "This is the best we've seen them this season, and they have improved a lot.
"It was good to see the boys battle back, but we put ourselves in the position to begin with."
Chillicothe scored first in the top of the second, but in the bottom of the third, Hillsboro responded by tying the game at one run apiece.
Ian Adams (3-for-5) doubled with one out to right-centerfield, went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Corey Walker and scored on a single hit to right field, landing in between three players by Cody Shaver
.
Post 129 took the lead for the first time in the fourth with runs scored by Zach Uhl and Taylor. Uhl opened the inning with a double to the centerfield wall and scored on a double to left field by Taylor. Taylor reached third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Bean for the 3-1 lead.
In the sixth, Post 757 scored one run, but it was equaled by Hillsboro in their half of the inning with Bean scoring on a passed ball with two outs. Bean singled to start the inning, reached second on a base hit by Nathaniel Miller (2-for-4) and third on a sacrifice bunt by Pappas.
Again, Chillicothe crept closer to the Hillsboro lead, scoring a run in the top of the eighth, and again Hillsboro was there to answer and then some, taking a 6-3 lead after eight full innings.
Taylor (3-for-4) started the Hillsboro eighth with a walk, followed by a double from Bean, who sent the ball to centerfield. Bean finished 3-for-3 with one walk and a sacrifice bunt.
Down to their final out of the inning, Adams came through with yet another hit, this time sending the ball to centerfield for two bases and two RBIs, scoring Taylor and Bean for the aforementioned 6-3 lead.
"Ian's hit with two outs … that proved to be critical," Butler said. "Those runs were big because we gave up three in the ninth."
Post 757 scored three runs in the ninth on two hits, two walks and a fielder's choice.
The win went to Uhl, who entered the game in the ninth inning with two outs. He retired all four batters he faced combined in the 1 1-3 innings he pitched in relief. Uhl struck out one.
Jacob Dillon pitched 1 2-3 innings of relief, allowing four runs with one strikeout.
The no-decision went to Tucker Hughes, who pitched seven innings as the starting pitcher. This was Hughes' fifth no-decision of the season. Hughes allowed two runs on nine hits and three walks. He struck out three batters.
GAME NOTES: Hillsboro is 4-1 this season against Post 757 … Post 129 is 4-1 this season against their next opponent (Post 25) this season … For the day (two games) Ian Adams was 5-for-9 … Hillsboro forced four walks in their two Sunday games … Hillsboro had 15 hits against Post 757, Sunday … Hillsboro had three total sacrifices against Post 757.[[In-content Ad]]