Hillsboro Indians open ’24 season, new field; fall to Portsmouth Notre Dame

HILLSBORO — On a very windy and 39-degree afternoon on Saturday (March 23), the Hillsboro Indians opened their brand-new baseball field on the campus of Hillsboro High School. 

In the game, they trailed by as many as seven runs, and eventually their comeback effort fell short, falling to the visiting Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans, 9-6 at HHS. 

Notre Dame scored three runs in the top of the first, and after the Indians added one run in the bottom of the second, the Titans added five runs to their total in the top of the third. HHS answered with one run in their half of the third. 

Notre Dame added one run in the fourth inning, but when the Indians stepped to the plate, they scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth and then two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. That was the final scoring of the game, as neither team scored runs in the sixth or seventh innings. 

In all, the Titans scored nine runs, added six hits and had one error. The Indians scored six runs, collected eight hits and committed one error.  

The big difference for the game was the Titans at the plate forced 14 walks. 

For the Indians, three players had two hits each with Jackson Cornele finishing 2-for-4 with one run, two RBI and two steals. Zach Burwinkel finished 2-for-4 with two runs, one RBI and two steals. Zack Brown went 2-for-4 with a double and a steal. 

Nic Burns ended the game at 1-for-4 with a run, one RBI and a steal. Brayden Hunter was 1-for-2 with a walk, a hit by pitch and two steals. 

Walker Pence walked once and collected two steals, while teammate Ben Miller scored one run, was hit by a pitch and collected a steal. Gavin Greer scored a run, walked twice and stole a base. 

In all for the Indians, they had 30 at-bats with six runs, eight hits, four RBI and four walks. 

Hunter pitched four innings for HHS, where he allowed one earned run on three hits with two strikeouts, finishing with 63 pitches, 34 for strikes. 

Ashton Clemons went 2.1 innings on the mound, allowing five runs on two hits and a hit by pitch. Clemons struck out three batters on 69 total pitches, 31 for strikes, on the windy and cold day. Miller pitched 0.2 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on one hit, a wild pitch, and he had one strikeout on 29 pitches (12 for strikes). 

For Notre Dame on the mound, the winning pitcher was Luke Cassidy, who in 6.2 innings (130 pitches, 79 for strikes) allowed six runs (three earned) on eight hits, and he struck out 15 batters. 

Coleman Shaffer gained the save with 0.1 IP, striking out one batter on four pitches (three for strikes). 

Ethan Kingrey finished 2-for-4 with one run and two RBI, while Landon Barbarits, Bryce McGraw, Shaffer, and Cassidy each had one hit for Notre Dame. 

The loss sends HHS to an 0-1 record and the Titans to a 1-0 record. 

Next for the Indians is a game Tuesday, March 26 at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe vs. the Circleville Tigers in non-conference action. 

BOX SCORE
NDHS    305 100 0 — 9 6 1 
HHS    011 220 0 — 6 8 1 

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