Hillsboro Post 129 run-ruled by Piqua 184
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CHILLICOTHE — The inaugural Jim Jadwin Memorial Tournament hosted by Chillicothe Post 757 hasn't fared well for the Hillsboro Post 129 baseball club as they dropped their third straight game in two days, with a 15-2 loss to Piqua Post 184 at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.
In their second game Friday against Zanesville Post 29, Hillsboro fell 3-0, for a record of 0-4 in the memorial tournament.
The losses drop Hillsboro to 10-16 overall, as they have dropped four straight games the past two days in the Chillicothe tournament.
Post 129 will not play again until Tuesday, June 26 when they host Chillicothe Post 62 in a doubleheader starting at 6 p.m.
Piqua, who earlier in the season defeated Hillsboro 10-9 at Shaffer Park, picked up from when they last met Hillsboro by scoring five runs in the first and four more in the second for a 9-0 lead midway through two innings.
In those two innings, Piqua gained multiple hits, forced walks and took advantage of an infield error to gain the nine aforementioned runs, all while forcing a pitching change with no outs and the bases loaded in the top of the second.
Trailing by nine runs, Hillsboro cut the lead down some in the bottom of the second with Nathaniel Miller, who doubled to the right field wall, scoring on a ground out to second by Zach Docter.
In the first inning, Bryce Bean (2-for-3) singled past second base to lead off the Post 129 first inning, but the inning ended with Hillsboro hitting into a double play.
As Hillsboro cut the Piqua lead to eight runs, the deficit didn't last long with Post 184 of Piqua continuing to hit the baseball with a three-run inning, increasing its lead to 11 at 12-1 midway through the third.
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Post 129 added one run in their half of the third with Taylor Smucker (pinch running for Paul Snyder who singled past the shortstop. Snyder finished 2-for-3.) scoring on a base hit by Tyler Griego with two outs.
Unfortunately for Post 129, Piqua still was hot at the plate in the top of the fourth inning, adding three runs to their lead as they loaded the bases numerous times throughout the inning, gaining runs on a fielder's choice, a walk and a hit batter, increasing their lead to 13 runs at 15-2 at the conclusion of the top of the fourth.
Matt Carey took the mound for Hillsboro with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth, putting an end to the inning by forcing a ground out to second base.
Hillsboro was unable to respond in the fourth as they were retired in order. In the fifth, Post 129 had a base hit by Snyder with one out, a walk by Miller (1-for-2, one walk, one run) and a walk by Griego, but all three players were left stranded. Throughout the game, Post 129 loaded the bases on three occasions, gaining just two runs.
Also for Post 129, Derek Peters was 1-for-2 with one walk.
The loss was charged to Austin Merkle, who pitched into the second inning. Nick Bush pitched in relief and Carey pitched in 1 1-3 innings, retiring all four batters he faced, including a double play by Hillsboro in the top of the fifth inning.
For the game, Post 129 players tallied four walks, while Piqua totaled 11 hits, along with four walks, and they were hit by a pitch on four different occasions.
BOX SCORE
P 543 30 — 15 11 2
H 011 00 — 2 6 3
In their second game Friday against Zanesville Post 29, Hillsboro fell 3-0, for a record of 0-4 in the memorial tournament.
The losses drop Hillsboro to 10-16 overall, as they have dropped four straight games the past two days in the Chillicothe tournament.
Post 129 will not play again until Tuesday, June 26 when they host Chillicothe Post 62 in a doubleheader starting at 6 p.m.
Piqua, who earlier in the season defeated Hillsboro 10-9 at Shaffer Park, picked up from when they last met Hillsboro by scoring five runs in the first and four more in the second for a 9-0 lead midway through two innings.
In those two innings, Piqua gained multiple hits, forced walks and took advantage of an infield error to gain the nine aforementioned runs, all while forcing a pitching change with no outs and the bases loaded in the top of the second.
Trailing by nine runs, Hillsboro cut the lead down some in the bottom of the second with Nathaniel Miller, who doubled to the right field wall, scoring on a ground out to second by Zach Docter.
In the first inning, Bryce Bean (2-for-3) singled past second base to lead off the Post 129 first inning, but the inning ended with Hillsboro hitting into a double play.
As Hillsboro cut the Piqua lead to eight runs, the deficit didn't last long with Post 184 of Piqua continuing to hit the baseball with a three-run inning, increasing its lead to 11 at 12-1 midway through the third.
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Post 129 added one run in their half of the third with Taylor Smucker (pinch running for Paul Snyder who singled past the shortstop. Snyder finished 2-for-3.) scoring on a base hit by Tyler Griego with two outs.
Unfortunately for Post 129, Piqua still was hot at the plate in the top of the fourth inning, adding three runs to their lead as they loaded the bases numerous times throughout the inning, gaining runs on a fielder's choice, a walk and a hit batter, increasing their lead to 13 runs at 15-2 at the conclusion of the top of the fourth.
Matt Carey took the mound for Hillsboro with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth, putting an end to the inning by forcing a ground out to second base.
Hillsboro was unable to respond in the fourth as they were retired in order. In the fifth, Post 129 had a base hit by Snyder with one out, a walk by Miller (1-for-2, one walk, one run) and a walk by Griego, but all three players were left stranded. Throughout the game, Post 129 loaded the bases on three occasions, gaining just two runs.
Also for Post 129, Derek Peters was 1-for-2 with one walk.
The loss was charged to Austin Merkle, who pitched into the second inning. Nick Bush pitched in relief and Carey pitched in 1 1-3 innings, retiring all four batters he faced, including a double play by Hillsboro in the top of the fifth inning.
For the game, Post 129 players tallied four walks, while Piqua totaled 11 hits, along with four walks, and they were hit by a pitch on four different occasions.
BOX SCORE
P 543 30 — 15 11 2
H 011 00 — 2 6 3