Hillsboro softball advances to districts; gains sectional final win over McClain 

HILLSBORO — For the third time this season, the Hillsboro Lady Indians defeated their Highland County counterpart, the McClain Tigers, but this time the Lady Indians will be moving on in the 2023 Division II SE District Tournament.

No. 3 seeded Hillsboro won in five innings on Wednesday night over No. 14 seeded McClain, as they defeated the Lady Tigers by an 11-1 score, moving to 20-2 overall in 2023.

“It was a good team win,” Hillsboro head coach Gary Breeden said. “Everybody did a great job. Hats off to Coach [Ed] Bolender and the Lady Tigers. You know, they came in,and  it was obvious they had a certain game plan, how to work at us and attack us. They stuck with it, and it took us a while to finally get going, but we did put things together when we needed to.”

Hillsboro scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning with Halle Reveal starting things off with a lead-off walk on five pitches. Next, Eowyn Brown was at the plate, and after Reveal took second on a passed ball, then went to third, Brown went to first with a walk.

Bases were loaded when Camryn Spruell was intentionally walked, and after Reveal was out at home, the bases remained loaded when Kinsey Gilliland forced a walk. Following the second out of the inning, HHS took a 2-0 lead with a single by Isabelle Brunck, as the ball, that landed in left field, scored Brown and Spruell.

That lead went to three runs where Hannah Burton hit the ball to centerfield, scoring Gilliland.

McClain’s lone run came in the top of the third with Gracie Bowers rounding the bases for the run off a single by Lindsey Hutchinson. Bowers reached the bases with a lead-off single.

Hillsboro answered with four runs in the bottom of the third, starting with a home run by Gilliland, sending the ball over the centerfield fence at Alice Cassner Field.

“The fourth inning, when Gilliland started off with that solo home run, that brought the energy back up where it needed to be,” Breeden said. “We took it from there.”

Addie Huff took first with a line drive base hit to right field, and Brunck reached the bases on an infield error, allowing Huff to stand at third base. After a pop-up out, Brunck took second base, and with two outs, Huff scored on a wild pitch, and Rhianna Clemons singled to centerfield, scoring Brunck for a 6-1 advantage.

That lead went to 7-1 when Clemons took home on a wild pitch.

In the bottom of the fourth, HHS scored a run with two outs when Huff scored on a bases-loaded walk forced by Clemons for a seven-run lead at 8-1.

Hillsboro ended the game in the bottom of the fifth with Brown scoring a run on a bases loaded walk by Brunck, and Burton hitting a two-run single to right field, scoring Spruell and Huff for the run-rule victory.

For the game, the Lady Indians out-hit McClain 11-3. McClain also committed two errors, and HHS had no errors. Also for MHS in the game, Harley Peabody had a hit.

Huff led HHS at 3-for-4 with three runs and a double. Gilliland was 2-for-3 with two runs and a home run. Burton went 2-for-4 with three RBI and was hit by a pitch. Having one hit each were Reveal (one walk), Brown (two runs), Brunck (one run, three RBI, one walk) and Clemons (one run, two RBI, one walk).

Also for Hillsboro, Spruell scored two runs and was intentionally walked twice. Brown (two), Huff and Spruell all had stolen bases.

Spruell was the winning pitcher, as she pitched five innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits and three walks with 11 strikeouts.

This season, Hillsboro had three wins over McClain by scores of 17-1, 16-3 and 11-1.

Hillsboro will next play in the Division II SE District Semifinals on Tuesday, May 16 at Ohio University in Athens. HHS, a No. 3 seed, will be facing No. 6 seed Proctorville Fairland at 5:30 p.m.

“It only gets tougher from here,” Breeden said. “Fairland’s a very good team, and they play in a tough conference. This has been our goal for forever, but to see the kids put all the work in, summer, fall, winter, and now they're getting to see the fruits of their labor. You watch them as they walk by, their smiles. It's just priceless.”

Breeden also thanked the community for their support.

“I do greatly appreciate everybody that did show up,” Breeden said. “Obviously our parents have been with us, and a lot of family members have been with us, throughout the year, but turning around and looking at a lot of people in the community that came out to support these young ladies is just phenomenal.”

(A photo slideshow will be added Thursday afternoon.)