Hillsboro splits twin bills with Portsmouth and Lancaster
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — Last week, Hillsboro Post 129 American Legion baseball head coach Ritchie Butler said it would take some time, but his ball club would start to turn things around for the positive … looks like he was looking into a crystal ball, as the Hillsboro squad have won three of their past five games.
On Wednesday at Shaffer Park, the Post 129 team split a doubleheader with Portsmouth Post 23, and a day earlier, the Hillsboro squad split their twin bill in Lancaster.
"We necessarily didn't fare well in wins and losses at the Troy tournament, but when we return traditionally we are a more solid baseball team, and the results are better," Butler said. "We had a slow start in our first game against Portsmouth, but we tried to claw our way back into it, but just came up a bit short.
"We need to fix our hitting, and we've hit the ball hard, but right at our opponents."
Against Portsmouth Post 23, Post 129 dropped the first game 5-3 as the visitors scored their five runs in the first two innings, including a four-run second. In the nightcap at Shaffer Park, Post 129 avenged the loss with a 5-1 win of their own as this time around, it was Hillsboro who scored their runs in the first two innings as Post 129 is now 2-1 in their summer SCOL league standings.
In the second game Wednesday, Post 129 (4-10 overall) tallied a five-run lead after two innings, including three runs in the first inning with Corey Walker starting things off with a one-out bunt single toward third base. Paul Snyder continued his success at the plate with a double to the right field wall.
Walker scored on a base hit past the shortstop by Joey Wilson, and Snyder scored on a fielder's choice by Tyler Griego for a 2-0 lead. Griego scored on a two-out single to centerfield by Nathaniel Miller for the third run of the inning.
Post 129 wrapped up their scoring in the second with both runs coming with two outs on the scoreboard. Bryce Bean kept the inning going with a two-out double to centerfield, followed with a triple hit to centerfield by Walker, scoring Bean.
Walker (2-for-3) scored on a passed ball for the 5-0 advantage. Also 2-for-3 in the second game was Miller, as the Post 129 team finished with nine hits. Also gaining one hit in the game were Kyle Carson and Griego.
The five-run lead was more than enough for starting pitcher Brandon Wilson as he pitched a complete game for the win. Wilson allowed just one run (coming in the fourth inning) as the Hillsboro graduate gave up seven hits and four walks, while striking out six.
"Brandon pitched well … he hit his spots and was throwing the baseball hard," Butler said. "He also had his off-speed pitches working."
Post 23 scored their lone run in the fourth inning. Also of note in the second game was the defensive play at third base by Joey Wilson as he saved a hit in the early innings by throwing a runner out at first from his knees as he dove to initially stop the ball in the infield.
In game one of the twin bill, Post 23 scored one run in the first and four runs in the second for their five total runs, as Hillsboro scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth and added two more in the seventh.
For Hillsboro, Walker scored a run in the fifth off a two-out single by Brandon Wilson hit to shallow right field. In the seventh, Hillsboro's two runs were scored by Bean and Walker with Bean scoring on an errant throw to first base and Walker scoring on a single hit by Brandon Wilson.
The loss was charged to Carey as he pitched a complete game for Post 129, finishing with three strikeouts. Post 23 finished with seven hits in the first game and walked three times. Carey held Post 23 scoreless through the final five innings, allowing three hits in that span.
"(Carey) was strong in the final five innings, and he gave us a solid effort," Butler said.
Hillsboro wrapped up game one with four hits by Bean, Walker, Snyder and Brandon Wilson. Stephen Pappas drew two walks, as did Taylor Smucker. Walker drew one walk.
- - - -
On Tuesday, June 12, Post 129 split a doubleheader with Lancaster as they won the first game 12-4 and lost game two, 2-1 at Duke Park.
In the first game at Lancaster, Post 129 finished with 18 hits, including a 4-for-5, four-RBI, one-run game by Snyder. Walker was 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs, and lead-off hitter Bean was 3-for-4 with four runs.
Miller (one RBI), Dustin Taylor and Nick Bush (one RBI) each finished with two hits. Carey (one RBI) had one hit in game one.
Hillsboro scored two runs in the third, three in the fifth, two in the sixth and five in the seventh in the eight-run win.
Earning the win was Docter, as he pitched seven innings (104 pitches), allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks, while striking out three. Lancaster scored one run in the first, two in the fourth and one in the seventh.
Game two was a different story for Post 129 as they scored their lone run in the fourth inning and held the lead until the bottom of the seventh as they allowed two runs (both earned) in the seventh inning.
Pappas scored the Post 129 run in the fourth, with Hillsboro finishing the second game with 10 hits. Brandon Wilson (one RBI), Walker and Pappas each had two hits in the game. Snyder, Miller, Joey Wilson and Austin Merkle each had one hit.
Casey Jordan was charged with the loss on the mound. Jordan pitched six innings, allowing two runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks. He struck out six of 26 batters he faced.[[In-content Ad]]
On Wednesday at Shaffer Park, the Post 129 team split a doubleheader with Portsmouth Post 23, and a day earlier, the Hillsboro squad split their twin bill in Lancaster.
"We necessarily didn't fare well in wins and losses at the Troy tournament, but when we return traditionally we are a more solid baseball team, and the results are better," Butler said. "We had a slow start in our first game against Portsmouth, but we tried to claw our way back into it, but just came up a bit short.
"We need to fix our hitting, and we've hit the ball hard, but right at our opponents."
Against Portsmouth Post 23, Post 129 dropped the first game 5-3 as the visitors scored their five runs in the first two innings, including a four-run second. In the nightcap at Shaffer Park, Post 129 avenged the loss with a 5-1 win of their own as this time around, it was Hillsboro who scored their runs in the first two innings as Post 129 is now 2-1 in their summer SCOL league standings.
In the second game Wednesday, Post 129 (4-10 overall) tallied a five-run lead after two innings, including three runs in the first inning with Corey Walker starting things off with a one-out bunt single toward third base. Paul Snyder continued his success at the plate with a double to the right field wall.
Walker scored on a base hit past the shortstop by Joey Wilson, and Snyder scored on a fielder's choice by Tyler Griego for a 2-0 lead. Griego scored on a two-out single to centerfield by Nathaniel Miller for the third run of the inning.
Post 129 wrapped up their scoring in the second with both runs coming with two outs on the scoreboard. Bryce Bean kept the inning going with a two-out double to centerfield, followed with a triple hit to centerfield by Walker, scoring Bean.
Walker (2-for-3) scored on a passed ball for the 5-0 advantage. Also 2-for-3 in the second game was Miller, as the Post 129 team finished with nine hits. Also gaining one hit in the game were Kyle Carson and Griego.
The five-run lead was more than enough for starting pitcher Brandon Wilson as he pitched a complete game for the win. Wilson allowed just one run (coming in the fourth inning) as the Hillsboro graduate gave up seven hits and four walks, while striking out six.
"Brandon pitched well … he hit his spots and was throwing the baseball hard," Butler said. "He also had his off-speed pitches working."
Post 23 scored their lone run in the fourth inning. Also of note in the second game was the defensive play at third base by Joey Wilson as he saved a hit in the early innings by throwing a runner out at first from his knees as he dove to initially stop the ball in the infield.
In game one of the twin bill, Post 23 scored one run in the first and four runs in the second for their five total runs, as Hillsboro scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth and added two more in the seventh.
For Hillsboro, Walker scored a run in the fifth off a two-out single by Brandon Wilson hit to shallow right field. In the seventh, Hillsboro's two runs were scored by Bean and Walker with Bean scoring on an errant throw to first base and Walker scoring on a single hit by Brandon Wilson.
The loss was charged to Carey as he pitched a complete game for Post 129, finishing with three strikeouts. Post 23 finished with seven hits in the first game and walked three times. Carey held Post 23 scoreless through the final five innings, allowing three hits in that span.
"(Carey) was strong in the final five innings, and he gave us a solid effort," Butler said.
Hillsboro wrapped up game one with four hits by Bean, Walker, Snyder and Brandon Wilson. Stephen Pappas drew two walks, as did Taylor Smucker. Walker drew one walk.
- - - -
On Tuesday, June 12, Post 129 split a doubleheader with Lancaster as they won the first game 12-4 and lost game two, 2-1 at Duke Park.
In the first game at Lancaster, Post 129 finished with 18 hits, including a 4-for-5, four-RBI, one-run game by Snyder. Walker was 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs, and lead-off hitter Bean was 3-for-4 with four runs.
Miller (one RBI), Dustin Taylor and Nick Bush (one RBI) each finished with two hits. Carey (one RBI) had one hit in game one.
Hillsboro scored two runs in the third, three in the fifth, two in the sixth and five in the seventh in the eight-run win.
Earning the win was Docter, as he pitched seven innings (104 pitches), allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks, while striking out three. Lancaster scored one run in the first, two in the fourth and one in the seventh.
Game two was a different story for Post 129 as they scored their lone run in the fourth inning and held the lead until the bottom of the seventh as they allowed two runs (both earned) in the seventh inning.
Pappas scored the Post 129 run in the fourth, with Hillsboro finishing the second game with 10 hits. Brandon Wilson (one RBI), Walker and Pappas each had two hits in the game. Snyder, Miller, Joey Wilson and Austin Merkle each had one hit.
Casey Jordan was charged with the loss on the mound. Jordan pitched six innings, allowing two runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks. He struck out six of 26 batters he faced.[[In-content Ad]]