Post 129 breaks away in 7th inning, defeat Aces
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
WASHINGTON C.H. — One day following where the Hillsboro Post 129 squad had two wins handed to them via forfeit by Chillicothe Post 62 due to an insufficient amount of players, on Wednesday Hillsboro battled for their 13th win of the season, rallying in the seventh inning off a two-run base hit by Derek Peters for a 6-4 victory over the Washington C.H. Post 25 Aces.
The win at Washington Senior High School was a needed win on the diamond as Post 129 was coming off four straight losses in their past four games they played, as Hillsboro hadn't played a game since last Friday at Chillicothe. Against Post 25, Hillsboro took a 3-0 lead. Eventually, Washington tied the score at four in the sixth, but it was the clutch seventh-inning, two-out hitting by Derek Peters that lifted the Post 129 team into the lead for good.
Hillsboro (13-16) entered the seventh inning after relinquishing a 4-1 lead in the bottom half of the sixth where Washington scored three runs, tying the game at four headed into the last inning.
Paul Snyder gave Hillsboro a base runner with one out by forcing a four-pitch walk, and that was followed by a perfect bunt single toward third base, past the pitcher by Nathaniel Miller (2-for-3, one walk), giving Post 129 two base runners.
Following a sacrifice bunt by Joey Wilson, moving both runners over one base, it was Peters (2-for-4, three RBIs) who gave the visiting Hillsboro team the lead for good with a double near the left field line, scoring Snyder and Miller from second and third base for the 6-4 lead.
"We blew the lead, which is uncharacteristic of our pitching staff," Post 129 head coach Ritchie Butler said. "We had clutch hits from Derek, a steal by Nathaniel, and he also had a bunt base hit that was big for us.
"We took advantage of their mistakes and executed well in the seventh, as that was one of the better innings we've had this summer."
In fact, all six Hillsboro runs were scored with two outs. As a team, Hillsboro totaled nine hits, four walks and three sacrifices.
Getting to that score was a bit wacky, to say the least, with both teams having miscues, but Hillsboro being able to take advantage of Post 25 mistakes, while overcoming some of the own, turning them into runs in the early innings.
For example … the first inning had an error, a sacrifice bunt, a stolen base, an infield hit that could have been an out, a single that just left the infield and a no-doubt single … which added all up equaled three runs for Post 129.
Dustin Taylor opened the inning by taking first base successfully on an infield error, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Wilson (1-for-2, two sacrifices). With two outs, Miller reached on a pop up infield single that fell in between three Post 25 players, keeping the inning alive, while scoring Taylor.
Right before Joey Wilson (1-for-2) walked, Miller caught Post 25 off-guard with a steal of second base. Peters gained his first two-out single to shallow centerfield to score Miller off what was the second pitcher of the game for Washington. Stephen Pappas made it a 3-0 lead with a single past second base to score Joey Wilson.
In the bottom of the third, Post 25 added their first run of the game, while Hillsboro answered in the top of the fifth with their fourth run as Taylor scored on a two-out single up the middle of the infield by Joey Wilson.
Washington increased the interest in the game in the bottom of the sixth with three runs scored following a pitching change to start the inning. Scoring runs in the inning were Tyler Spears, Matt Jones and Cole Voitz. The first WCH run scored in the third was by Nick Garrett.
The pitching win went to Corey Walker, who pitched 1 2-3 innings of relief, entering the game during the fifth inning with the bases loaded, a 4-4 score and one out. He ended that inning with two consecutive outs and retired the side in the bottom of the seventh. Walker finished the game with two strikeouts as he faced five total batters.
"Corey came in and did a nice job in relief," Butler said. "He got the win and he came in and held Washington at bay."
The no-decision went to starter Tyler Griego, who pitched five innings, allowing one run. Griego finished with four strikeouts, while allowing the earned run on five hits, three walks and one hit batter.
"Tyler worked into jams, and he worked out of them, but he had good command," Butler said. "In the fifth, he lost his way a little and upped his pitch count, but he did a nice job."
Also pitching in relief for Post 129 was Matt Carey, who allowed three earned runs in the fifth inning. He tallied one strikeout.
Hillsboro will play again on Saturday, June 30 and Sunday, July 1 as they will play in two doubleheaders in Gallipolis and Rio Grande.[[In-content Ad]]
The win at Washington Senior High School was a needed win on the diamond as Post 129 was coming off four straight losses in their past four games they played, as Hillsboro hadn't played a game since last Friday at Chillicothe. Against Post 25, Hillsboro took a 3-0 lead. Eventually, Washington tied the score at four in the sixth, but it was the clutch seventh-inning, two-out hitting by Derek Peters that lifted the Post 129 team into the lead for good.
Hillsboro (13-16) entered the seventh inning after relinquishing a 4-1 lead in the bottom half of the sixth where Washington scored three runs, tying the game at four headed into the last inning.
Paul Snyder gave Hillsboro a base runner with one out by forcing a four-pitch walk, and that was followed by a perfect bunt single toward third base, past the pitcher by Nathaniel Miller (2-for-3, one walk), giving Post 129 two base runners.
Following a sacrifice bunt by Joey Wilson, moving both runners over one base, it was Peters (2-for-4, three RBIs) who gave the visiting Hillsboro team the lead for good with a double near the left field line, scoring Snyder and Miller from second and third base for the 6-4 lead.
"We blew the lead, which is uncharacteristic of our pitching staff," Post 129 head coach Ritchie Butler said. "We had clutch hits from Derek, a steal by Nathaniel, and he also had a bunt base hit that was big for us.
"We took advantage of their mistakes and executed well in the seventh, as that was one of the better innings we've had this summer."
In fact, all six Hillsboro runs were scored with two outs. As a team, Hillsboro totaled nine hits, four walks and three sacrifices.
Getting to that score was a bit wacky, to say the least, with both teams having miscues, but Hillsboro being able to take advantage of Post 25 mistakes, while overcoming some of the own, turning them into runs in the early innings.
For example … the first inning had an error, a sacrifice bunt, a stolen base, an infield hit that could have been an out, a single that just left the infield and a no-doubt single … which added all up equaled three runs for Post 129.
Dustin Taylor opened the inning by taking first base successfully on an infield error, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Wilson (1-for-2, two sacrifices). With two outs, Miller reached on a pop up infield single that fell in between three Post 25 players, keeping the inning alive, while scoring Taylor.
Right before Joey Wilson (1-for-2) walked, Miller caught Post 25 off-guard with a steal of second base. Peters gained his first two-out single to shallow centerfield to score Miller off what was the second pitcher of the game for Washington. Stephen Pappas made it a 3-0 lead with a single past second base to score Joey Wilson.
In the bottom of the third, Post 25 added their first run of the game, while Hillsboro answered in the top of the fifth with their fourth run as Taylor scored on a two-out single up the middle of the infield by Joey Wilson.
Washington increased the interest in the game in the bottom of the sixth with three runs scored following a pitching change to start the inning. Scoring runs in the inning were Tyler Spears, Matt Jones and Cole Voitz. The first WCH run scored in the third was by Nick Garrett.
The pitching win went to Corey Walker, who pitched 1 2-3 innings of relief, entering the game during the fifth inning with the bases loaded, a 4-4 score and one out. He ended that inning with two consecutive outs and retired the side in the bottom of the seventh. Walker finished the game with two strikeouts as he faced five total batters.
"Corey came in and did a nice job in relief," Butler said. "He got the win and he came in and held Washington at bay."
The no-decision went to starter Tyler Griego, who pitched five innings, allowing one run. Griego finished with four strikeouts, while allowing the earned run on five hits, three walks and one hit batter.
"Tyler worked into jams, and he worked out of them, but he had good command," Butler said. "In the fifth, he lost his way a little and upped his pitch count, but he did a nice job."
Also pitching in relief for Post 129 was Matt Carey, who allowed three earned runs in the fifth inning. He tallied one strikeout.
Hillsboro will play again on Saturday, June 30 and Sunday, July 1 as they will play in two doubleheaders in Gallipolis and Rio Grande.[[In-content Ad]]