Carson sends Post 129 to win over Post 757; split twin bill
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — The temperature may have been over 100 degrees Saturday afternoon, but in game two, once Hillsboro Post 129 overcame the heat, their miscues in the field and running the bases, they were the hottest ticket in town.
Their bats heated up at the right time in the sixth inning of game two, as they were able to keep their league title hopes alive, splitting a twin bill with Chillicothe Post 757 by winning game two 7-5 at Shaffer Park. Hillsboro dropped the first game 5-3.
A bases clearing two-RBI single by Kyle Carson allowed three runs to score, with Carson ending up on third base following an errant throw, was what the Post 129 club was looking for all day long at the plate.
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Winning game two broke a three-game losing streak by Post 129.
The hit by Carson turned a 5-3 deficit into a one-run lead for Hillsboro with one swing of the bat. The inning before Carson reached base with a bunt single.
"Kyle was big with that bases clearing single," Post 129 head coach Ritchie Butler said."
Zach Docter was first to reach the bases for Hillsboro in the sixth with a one-out walk, followed by Taylor Smucker earning a base hit. Nick Bush loaded the base with a single. Austin Merkle followed with a fielder's choice as Docter was forced out at home for the second out of the inning,
Then it was time for "clutch" Carson, who stepped up for Hillsboro, hitting a single that eventually cleared the bases on a full count.
Carson sent the ball to the outfield, knocking in Smucker and Bush, with Bush beating a throw that sailed over the catcher's head. That throw to the plate allowed Merkle (who slid head first to the plate) to score from third base, sending Carson to third with two outs.
Post 129 took a two-run lead when Carson scored on a single by Tyler Griego, in what turned out to be the final run of the game.
The win puts Hillsboro at 15-20 overall, as they have three summer SCOL losses (tied for second place) headed into the final week of the regular season.
Hillsboro's first three runs came in the third inning with Griego, Derek Peters and Luke Taggert all rounding the bases, including an RBI hit by Docter, tying the score at three.
The Colts of Chillicothe Post 757 scored their first three runs in the top of the first inning, followed with a two-run fifth.
The win in game two went to Matt Carey of Post 129. Carey pitched all seven innings in the second game. He allowed five earned runs on six hits and no walks, striking out three.
For the game, Hillsboro totaled 10 hits, while forcing three walks as Griego led Hillsboro at 3-for-4, followed by Carson at 2-for-4 and Brandon Wilson at 2-for-3. Merkle, Smucker and Bush had one hit apiece. Derek Peters drew two walks and Docter had the aforementioned free pass that began the sixth inning.
If game two was a success for Post 129, then the game that opened the day wasn't so much. Hillsboro was held to three runs on six hits in game one, with just two of the hits going for extra bases in the 5-3 loss to the Colts.
Post 129 trailed 5-0 headed into the bottom half of the fifth inning with Post 757 scoring three runs in the third, followed by one run in the fourth and one in the fifth.
As for Hillsboro in game one, they scored all three of their runs in the fifth with Nathaniel Miller, Bryce Bean and Carey all rounding the bases.
Miller opened the inning with a line drive single to left field. With one out, Bean walked on a full-count, and Carey singled to right field, scoring Miller. Merkle doubled down the third base line, scoring Bean and Carey.
Also for Post 129 in game one, they totaled six hits with Merkle leading at 2-for-3, followed by hits from Griego, Miller, Bean and Carey. Griego and Bean also forced one walk each. Carey and Walker each had a sacrifice bunt.
"Overall we didn't hit as well as I thought we should have … we are spreading them around but not getting consecutive hits like we need," Butler said. "In the first game, we just couldn't string hits together. We'd get runners on base, then get three straight outs.
"That was the story of today … we had a lot of mental mistakes in the field, on the mound, at the plate and on the bases. In the second game, we were able to overcome those mistakes; in the first game, we weren't. Our timing at the plate in the first game was off the first four innings."
The loss was charged to Peters, who pitched 3 1-3 innings. Peters allowed four earned runs on seven hits and five walks. He struck out four.
Luke Taggert pitched the remainder of the game in relief, entering the game with bases loaded in the fourth, as just one of the runners he inherited scored. Taggert finished the game with 3 2-3 innings pitched, allowing one earned run on five hits, two walks and one hit batter. Taggert struck out two.
"Post 757 has come a long way since the first time we saw them this season," Butler said. "They hit the ball well and found the spots where the ball was just out of reach for us.
"Our pitchers didn't throw that bad ... they threw it well enough to win."
Post 129 will be back on the field on Sunday as they travel to Ross County Park to face Chillicothe Post 62 in a doubleheader. Currently Post 129 and Portsmouth Post 23 each have three losses in the summer SCOL for a tie at second place. They both trail first-place Circleville.
BOX SCORE
Game One
P757 — 003 110 0 — 5
P129 — 000 030 0 — 3
Game Two
P757 — 300 020 0 — 5
P129 — 000 304 x — 7
Their bats heated up at the right time in the sixth inning of game two, as they were able to keep their league title hopes alive, splitting a twin bill with Chillicothe Post 757 by winning game two 7-5 at Shaffer Park. Hillsboro dropped the first game 5-3.
A bases clearing two-RBI single by Kyle Carson allowed three runs to score, with Carson ending up on third base following an errant throw, was what the Post 129 club was looking for all day long at the plate.
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Winning game two broke a three-game losing streak by Post 129.
The hit by Carson turned a 5-3 deficit into a one-run lead for Hillsboro with one swing of the bat. The inning before Carson reached base with a bunt single.
"Kyle was big with that bases clearing single," Post 129 head coach Ritchie Butler said."
Zach Docter was first to reach the bases for Hillsboro in the sixth with a one-out walk, followed by Taylor Smucker earning a base hit. Nick Bush loaded the base with a single. Austin Merkle followed with a fielder's choice as Docter was forced out at home for the second out of the inning,
Then it was time for "clutch" Carson, who stepped up for Hillsboro, hitting a single that eventually cleared the bases on a full count.
Carson sent the ball to the outfield, knocking in Smucker and Bush, with Bush beating a throw that sailed over the catcher's head. That throw to the plate allowed Merkle (who slid head first to the plate) to score from third base, sending Carson to third with two outs.
Post 129 took a two-run lead when Carson scored on a single by Tyler Griego, in what turned out to be the final run of the game.
The win puts Hillsboro at 15-20 overall, as they have three summer SCOL losses (tied for second place) headed into the final week of the regular season.
Hillsboro's first three runs came in the third inning with Griego, Derek Peters and Luke Taggert all rounding the bases, including an RBI hit by Docter, tying the score at three.
The Colts of Chillicothe Post 757 scored their first three runs in the top of the first inning, followed with a two-run fifth.
The win in game two went to Matt Carey of Post 129. Carey pitched all seven innings in the second game. He allowed five earned runs on six hits and no walks, striking out three.
For the game, Hillsboro totaled 10 hits, while forcing three walks as Griego led Hillsboro at 3-for-4, followed by Carson at 2-for-4 and Brandon Wilson at 2-for-3. Merkle, Smucker and Bush had one hit apiece. Derek Peters drew two walks and Docter had the aforementioned free pass that began the sixth inning.
If game two was a success for Post 129, then the game that opened the day wasn't so much. Hillsboro was held to three runs on six hits in game one, with just two of the hits going for extra bases in the 5-3 loss to the Colts.
Post 129 trailed 5-0 headed into the bottom half of the fifth inning with Post 757 scoring three runs in the third, followed by one run in the fourth and one in the fifth.
As for Hillsboro in game one, they scored all three of their runs in the fifth with Nathaniel Miller, Bryce Bean and Carey all rounding the bases.
Miller opened the inning with a line drive single to left field. With one out, Bean walked on a full-count, and Carey singled to right field, scoring Miller. Merkle doubled down the third base line, scoring Bean and Carey.
Also for Post 129 in game one, they totaled six hits with Merkle leading at 2-for-3, followed by hits from Griego, Miller, Bean and Carey. Griego and Bean also forced one walk each. Carey and Walker each had a sacrifice bunt.
"Overall we didn't hit as well as I thought we should have … we are spreading them around but not getting consecutive hits like we need," Butler said. "In the first game, we just couldn't string hits together. We'd get runners on base, then get three straight outs.
"That was the story of today … we had a lot of mental mistakes in the field, on the mound, at the plate and on the bases. In the second game, we were able to overcome those mistakes; in the first game, we weren't. Our timing at the plate in the first game was off the first four innings."
The loss was charged to Peters, who pitched 3 1-3 innings. Peters allowed four earned runs on seven hits and five walks. He struck out four.
Luke Taggert pitched the remainder of the game in relief, entering the game with bases loaded in the fourth, as just one of the runners he inherited scored. Taggert finished the game with 3 2-3 innings pitched, allowing one earned run on five hits, two walks and one hit batter. Taggert struck out two.
"Post 757 has come a long way since the first time we saw them this season," Butler said. "They hit the ball well and found the spots where the ball was just out of reach for us.
"Our pitchers didn't throw that bad ... they threw it well enough to win."
Post 129 will be back on the field on Sunday as they travel to Ross County Park to face Chillicothe Post 62 in a doubleheader. Currently Post 129 and Portsmouth Post 23 each have three losses in the summer SCOL for a tie at second place. They both trail first-place Circleville.
BOX SCORE
Game One
P757 — 003 110 0 — 5
P129 — 000 030 0 — 3
Game Two
P757 — 300 020 0 — 5
P129 — 000 304 x — 7