Post 129 loses game in 9th inning to Post 757 in tourney opener
CHILLICOTHE — If the game were a regular seven innings like they are during the regular season, the outcome would have been different for the Hillsboro Post 129 American Legion team.
Alas, District 7 tournament games are nine innings, and the Post 129 squad was unable to hold on as they fell to the Chillicothe Post 757 Colts, 7-6 in a scheduled nine-inning game Monday at VA Memorial Stadium.
The Hillsboro squad is still holding on in the tournament, as it is double elimination, and will play again on Tuesday, but Monday's loss was tough because they had the lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, but it was the Colts who walked off with the victory.
"We played well, but we left too many runners on the bases," Post 129 head coach Scott Morgan said. "Chillicothe hit the ball when they needed to, and we didn't at the end.
"We have to realize these tournament games are nine innings, and it's not over after seven."
In the ninth, Post 129 began the inning by walking Chillicothe's Nat Mavis, and he went to third on a base hit to right field by Trent Downs.
After an intentional walk to Layne Stockman to load the bases to possibly force an out at home, and a pitching change by Hillsboro, Lucas Sarver hit a sacrifice fly to left field for an RBI to score Mavis to tie the score at 6-6 with no outs.
After a second intentional walk by Hillsboro, it was Drew Barr who put an end to the game, while putting Hillsboro one game closer to elimination as he hit a sacrifice fly to score Downs from third base for the win.
The loss means Hillsboro will play Waverly Post 142 (who lost to J.B. Yeager on Monday by a 9-5 score) on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
Hillsboro scored the first run of the game in the top of the first with Zach Cox hitting a single to centerfield on a line drive, to score Blake Hildebrant, with two outs.
Chillicothe scored three runs in the bottom of the second for a 4-1 lead, but Hillsboro answered with three runs of their own in the top of the third for a 4-4 score.
Hillsboro saw Hildebrant, Joey Wilson and Jared Halley all cross home plate (they began the inning by loading the bases). The first run of the inning came with the RBI credited to Cox as he was hit by a pitch that allowed Hildebrant to score.
Wilson and Halley each finished with two hits, while Halley also forced a walk.
The second run of the third came with Inman singling in Wilson, and Halley crossed home plate on a ground out to second by Haithcock.
Hillsboro and Chillicothe stayed tied at four runs each until the top of the fifth with Inman leading off with a triple to right centerfield. He eventually scored on a passed ball for the 5-4 lead.
Chillicothe tied the score at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth, but again, in the next inning, Hillsboro regained the advantage for a 6-5 lead. The run was scored when Halley doubled down the third base line.
Halley went to third on a ground out by Inman and scored on a two-out single to centerfield by Ty Crum.
The score stayed the same until the two-run ninth by Post 757.
Charged with the loss was Jesse Walker, as Hillsboro used a total of four pitchers on the day. Cox started the game, followed by Scottie Mullis and Inman.
"Mullis and Inman pitched really well," Morgan said.