Post 129 rained out against Warhawks; go 1-2 over weekend
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
For three innings Tuesday, Post 129's patience at the plate turned into runs and the lead against the Ohio Warhawks. But rain and five runs in the fourth by the visitors made that patience all for naught, with the game being called before the bottom of the fourth.
Over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday, in the second and third days of the Hillsboro Post 129 Wooden Bat Tournament, Post 129 went 1-2 in their final three games of the tourney and 1-3 overall in the three-day tourney at Shaffer Park.
For the season, Post 129 is 6-12 overall.
On Tuesday against the Warhawks in their rainout affair, Post 129 took a 4-0 advantage against a "split squad" roster by the Warhawks, Hillsboro scored three runs in the first inning and one more in the third for a 4-0 lead.
All four runs were scored on zero hits.
In the first for Post 129, Austin Merkle led off by taking first after being hit by a pitch, followed by five consecutive walks, with Post 129 taking the 3-0 advantage.
After the hit-by-pitch, Luke Taggert forced a four-pitch walk. The Warhawks eventually threw 11 straight balls, with Tyler Williams loading the bases and Joey Wilson forcing a bases-loaded walk on five pitches and the 1-0 lead. Corey Walker followed with a five-pitch walk for an RBI.
The third run scored on a passed ball, with Williams sliding to home plate for the first three runs of the game.
The inning ended when the Warhawks made a pitching change when left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson entered with the bases loaded and struck out the next three batters to end the inning.
Ferguson also struck out the side in the bottom of the second, retiring the side in order. All six of his strikeouts were swinging strikeouts.
Post 129 added one run in the bottom of the third with Joey Wilson drawing a full-count walk. He went to second on a walk forced by Jared Halley (his second of the game). Wilson moved to third on a fielder's choice hit into by Walker, forcing Halley out at second. Derek Peters batted in Wilson on sacrifice fly to right field.
The Warhawks, who are 11-time national champions, took the lead as the rain began to pour from the sky in the top of the fourth, adding five runs on the scoreboard. Their scoring came in four walks and two ground outs, for the 5-4 advantage.
The game wasn't ruled official as it was called due to rain and field conditions before the start of the bottom half of the fourth. It was a scheduled nine-inning game.
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Post 129 will play again on Wednesday against Chillicothe Post 62 at Ross County Park. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start.
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On Saturday afternoon in their first game, Post 129 defeated Chillicothe Post 757 by a 4-3 score.[[In-content Ad]]
Hillsboro won this first game on a walk-off hit by Latrell Haithcock, scoring Tyler Griego (2-for-4) with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, breaking a 3-3 tie.
The first three runs of the game came with one each in the first, second and fourth innings for Post 129.
Merkle (3-for-4) led off the first for Hillsboro with a single, scoring on an RBI base hit by Halley. In the second, Kyle Carson (who walked) scored on a bases-loaded hit by pitch by Tyler Williams, who went 2-for-3. In the fourth, Walker scored on an RBI ground out to short by Halley. Walker reached the bases after being hit by a pitch.
Zach Docter finished 2-for-3.
Post 757 scored one run in the first (Allen) and tied the game in the sixth with a two-run inning with runs by Milliken and Sarver.
The winning pitcher was Walker, who pitched one inning of relief in the seventh. Walker faced three batters allowing no runs.
Joey Wilson started the game, pitching six innings. Facing 28 batters, Wilson allowed three runs (none earned) on five hits and one walk, striking out six.
- - - - -
In their second game Saturday, Post 129 lost 8-5 to the Troy Bombers.
The Bombers scored one run in the second, one in the third, two in the fifth and four more in the sixth inning.
Hillsboro had one run in the third (Taggert), one in the fourth (Merkle) and three in the sixth (Merkle, Halley, Griego).
Merkle led Hillsboro at 3-for-5 with two runs. Walker followed at 2-for-3 with one RBI. Halley went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run. Also with two hits was Wilson at 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Gaining one hit each were Taggert and Pappas.
- - - - -
On Sunday, Post 129 fell by a 3-2 score to Westerville South at Shaffer Park.
Scoring runs for Post 129 were Camden Vinup and Docter, with both runs coming in the fourth inning. Gaining RBIs were Peters and Walker.
Post 129 totaled seven hits with Merkle and Walker each collecting two. Vinup, Docter and Pappas each had one hit.
Over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday, in the second and third days of the Hillsboro Post 129 Wooden Bat Tournament, Post 129 went 1-2 in their final three games of the tourney and 1-3 overall in the three-day tourney at Shaffer Park.
For the season, Post 129 is 6-12 overall.
On Tuesday against the Warhawks in their rainout affair, Post 129 took a 4-0 advantage against a "split squad" roster by the Warhawks, Hillsboro scored three runs in the first inning and one more in the third for a 4-0 lead.
All four runs were scored on zero hits.
In the first for Post 129, Austin Merkle led off by taking first after being hit by a pitch, followed by five consecutive walks, with Post 129 taking the 3-0 advantage.
After the hit-by-pitch, Luke Taggert forced a four-pitch walk. The Warhawks eventually threw 11 straight balls, with Tyler Williams loading the bases and Joey Wilson forcing a bases-loaded walk on five pitches and the 1-0 lead. Corey Walker followed with a five-pitch walk for an RBI.
The third run scored on a passed ball, with Williams sliding to home plate for the first three runs of the game.
The inning ended when the Warhawks made a pitching change when left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson entered with the bases loaded and struck out the next three batters to end the inning.
Ferguson also struck out the side in the bottom of the second, retiring the side in order. All six of his strikeouts were swinging strikeouts.
Post 129 added one run in the bottom of the third with Joey Wilson drawing a full-count walk. He went to second on a walk forced by Jared Halley (his second of the game). Wilson moved to third on a fielder's choice hit into by Walker, forcing Halley out at second. Derek Peters batted in Wilson on sacrifice fly to right field.
The Warhawks, who are 11-time national champions, took the lead as the rain began to pour from the sky in the top of the fourth, adding five runs on the scoreboard. Their scoring came in four walks and two ground outs, for the 5-4 advantage.
The game wasn't ruled official as it was called due to rain and field conditions before the start of the bottom half of the fourth. It was a scheduled nine-inning game.
" alt="Caleb Ferguson of the Ohio Warhawks" width="271" height="324" />Post 129 will play again on Wednesday against Chillicothe Post 62 at Ross County Park. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start.
- - - - -
On Saturday afternoon in their first game, Post 129 defeated Chillicothe Post 757 by a 4-3 score.[[In-content Ad]]
Hillsboro won this first game on a walk-off hit by Latrell Haithcock, scoring Tyler Griego (2-for-4) with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, breaking a 3-3 tie.
The first three runs of the game came with one each in the first, second and fourth innings for Post 129.
Merkle (3-for-4) led off the first for Hillsboro with a single, scoring on an RBI base hit by Halley. In the second, Kyle Carson (who walked) scored on a bases-loaded hit by pitch by Tyler Williams, who went 2-for-3. In the fourth, Walker scored on an RBI ground out to short by Halley. Walker reached the bases after being hit by a pitch.
Zach Docter finished 2-for-3.
Post 757 scored one run in the first (Allen) and tied the game in the sixth with a two-run inning with runs by Milliken and Sarver.
The winning pitcher was Walker, who pitched one inning of relief in the seventh. Walker faced three batters allowing no runs.
Joey Wilson started the game, pitching six innings. Facing 28 batters, Wilson allowed three runs (none earned) on five hits and one walk, striking out six.
- - - - -
In their second game Saturday, Post 129 lost 8-5 to the Troy Bombers.
The Bombers scored one run in the second, one in the third, two in the fifth and four more in the sixth inning.
Hillsboro had one run in the third (Taggert), one in the fourth (Merkle) and three in the sixth (Merkle, Halley, Griego).
Merkle led Hillsboro at 3-for-5 with two runs. Walker followed at 2-for-3 with one RBI. Halley went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run. Also with two hits was Wilson at 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Gaining one hit each were Taggert and Pappas.
- - - - -
On Sunday, Post 129 fell by a 3-2 score to Westerville South at Shaffer Park.
Scoring runs for Post 129 were Camden Vinup and Docter, with both runs coming in the fourth inning. Gaining RBIs were Peters and Walker.
Post 129 totaled seven hits with Merkle and Walker each collecting two. Vinup, Docter and Pappas each had one hit.