Post 129 wins on Independence Day
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — Playing for the first time in seven days, the Hillsboro Post 129 American Legion baseball team split their Independence Day doubleheader against Lancaster Post 11 at Shaffer Park, winning the second game 10-2, while dropping game one 13-0 in 97-degree temperatures.
The first game of the DH was one of getting used to playing in a game atmosphere again as they were run-ruled in the contest after five innings, but they regrouped in the second game by manufacturing runs various ways, not making miscues in the infield or outfield and were backed up by a top pitching performance by Austin Merkle, who was the winning pitcher of the second game.
The win and loss on Wednesday put Hillsboro at 14-17 overall. Both games were non-league, as Hillsboro is 6-1 in their summer SCOL games.
It had been the first time Post 129 had played since their win last Wednesday at Washington C.H. as they had back-to-back doubleheaders at Gallipolis canceled due to inclement weather last weekend, and a game against Piqua Post 184 was also postponed this week that was originally on the schedule.
On Wednesday's second game of the twin bill, the Post 129 squad played completely opposite than they did in game one as they went from making three errors in game one to none in the second game.
As Coach Ritchie Butler said following the game, "The two games were night and day."
"We were off a week, and it showed during the first game," he said. "We were rusty, made a few errors, had no contact at the plate and we didn't throw a lot of strikes. All of that equals to a big loss like we had.
"Then we completely turned it around in the second game. We shifted some people, and though we gave up two runs early on, we didn't go 'here we go again.' We recovered and made good decisions."
Game two began with Hillsboro tying the score at two once the first inning was completed, followed by taking the lead in the second with one run. From there, everything else turned out to be extra credit for the Post 129 club with another run added to the scoreboard in the third and six more in the fifth for the 10-run total.
The first two Hillsboro runs came with Bryce Bean (1-for-3, one walk, one run) leading off the first with a double to right field, followed by an infield single by Corey Walker, scoring Bean as he beat out a throw to first base. After moving around the bases on two infield outs, Walker (2-for-3, one walk, three runs) broke for home, scoring on a passed ball from third base, tying the score at 2-2.
Hillsboro scored their aforementioned go-ahead run in the second when Zach Docter scored on a double to centerfield by Matt Carey. Docter led off the inning with a lead-off walk. Docter totaled two walks.
Hillsboro doubled their lead to two runs in the bottom of the third with Walker scoring on a suicide squeeze off a one-out sacrifice bunt by Luke Taggert. Walker led off the inning with a walk, stole second and to third on a ground out.
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Then the inning Hillsboro was looking for all day finally happened in their half of the fifth. The bottom of the fifth for Hillsboro consisted of six runs, four hits, three walks and a total of 11 batters to the plate.
Post 129 began their six-run tear with a one-out double to right-centerfield by Walker. He scored to third on a ground rule double over the left field wall by Paul Snyder. Snyder eventually scored on a passed ball at home plate. Stephen Pappas continued the hitting with a single to shallow centerfield. With Brandon Wilson entering the game as a pinch runner for Pappas (1-for-2, one walk, one run), he, too, scored later in the inning on a passed ball.
Docter and Kyle Carson (one walk, one sacrifice) kept the inning alive with two-out walks. Docter scored on an infield error, and Carey (2-for-3) brought Carson around the bases with a base hit through the middle of the infield. Smucker finished the scoring as he took home on the third passed ball of the inning.
Hillsboro totaled five hits and forced seven walks in the second game.
"I liked how we manufactured runs in the second game … I told the guys that after the game," Butler said. "We had key hits, sacrifices and a suicide squeeze … everything I wanted to see today, we did in the second game.
"Corey and Matt hit the ball every well today."
If the base hitting of Post 129 in the second game was good, the pitching by Merkle was just as potent on the mound as he held Post 11 to just two runs in the first inning and for the next six innings held Lancaster scoreless.
The two first-inning runs by Post 11 were both earned runs, as Merkle finished the game allowing seven hits, six walks and hit one batter, while striking out five.
"Our outfield and infield played well behind Austin, who pitched well," Butler said. "He threw strikes and was around the strike zone all day. He didn't get into much trouble, and his breaking pitches were on.
"He's struggled with his breaking pitches his last two outings, but (Wednesday) he showed when his breaking pitches are on, he's a nice pitcher."
As for their first game of the day against Lancaster, Post 129 was held to just two hits with Walker and Carey each gaining singles. The pitching loss was charged to Bean, who pitched four innings. Docter pitched 1-3 of an inning in relief.
In game one, Lancaster scored four runs in the second, followed by two runs in the third, one in the fourth and six in the top of the fifth.
Hillsboro plays again Thursday as they travel to Portsmouth for a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. with the first game being a league game. On Friday, they play one nine-inning game at Pickerington. Hillsboro returns home Saturday with a doubleheader against Chillicothe Post 757, starting at noon. On Sunday, Post 129 will travel for a doubleheader at Chillicothe Post 62, who play their games at Ross County Park.
The first game of the DH was one of getting used to playing in a game atmosphere again as they were run-ruled in the contest after five innings, but they regrouped in the second game by manufacturing runs various ways, not making miscues in the infield or outfield and were backed up by a top pitching performance by Austin Merkle, who was the winning pitcher of the second game.
The win and loss on Wednesday put Hillsboro at 14-17 overall. Both games were non-league, as Hillsboro is 6-1 in their summer SCOL games.
It had been the first time Post 129 had played since their win last Wednesday at Washington C.H. as they had back-to-back doubleheaders at Gallipolis canceled due to inclement weather last weekend, and a game against Piqua Post 184 was also postponed this week that was originally on the schedule.
On Wednesday's second game of the twin bill, the Post 129 squad played completely opposite than they did in game one as they went from making three errors in game one to none in the second game.
As Coach Ritchie Butler said following the game, "The two games were night and day."
"We were off a week, and it showed during the first game," he said. "We were rusty, made a few errors, had no contact at the plate and we didn't throw a lot of strikes. All of that equals to a big loss like we had.
"Then we completely turned it around in the second game. We shifted some people, and though we gave up two runs early on, we didn't go 'here we go again.' We recovered and made good decisions."
Game two began with Hillsboro tying the score at two once the first inning was completed, followed by taking the lead in the second with one run. From there, everything else turned out to be extra credit for the Post 129 club with another run added to the scoreboard in the third and six more in the fifth for the 10-run total.
The first two Hillsboro runs came with Bryce Bean (1-for-3, one walk, one run) leading off the first with a double to right field, followed by an infield single by Corey Walker, scoring Bean as he beat out a throw to first base. After moving around the bases on two infield outs, Walker (2-for-3, one walk, three runs) broke for home, scoring on a passed ball from third base, tying the score at 2-2.
Hillsboro scored their aforementioned go-ahead run in the second when Zach Docter scored on a double to centerfield by Matt Carey. Docter led off the inning with a lead-off walk. Docter totaled two walks.
Hillsboro doubled their lead to two runs in the bottom of the third with Walker scoring on a suicide squeeze off a one-out sacrifice bunt by Luke Taggert. Walker led off the inning with a walk, stole second and to third on a ground out.
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Then the inning Hillsboro was looking for all day finally happened in their half of the fifth. The bottom of the fifth for Hillsboro consisted of six runs, four hits, three walks and a total of 11 batters to the plate.
Post 129 began their six-run tear with a one-out double to right-centerfield by Walker. He scored to third on a ground rule double over the left field wall by Paul Snyder. Snyder eventually scored on a passed ball at home plate. Stephen Pappas continued the hitting with a single to shallow centerfield. With Brandon Wilson entering the game as a pinch runner for Pappas (1-for-2, one walk, one run), he, too, scored later in the inning on a passed ball.
Docter and Kyle Carson (one walk, one sacrifice) kept the inning alive with two-out walks. Docter scored on an infield error, and Carey (2-for-3) brought Carson around the bases with a base hit through the middle of the infield. Smucker finished the scoring as he took home on the third passed ball of the inning.
Hillsboro totaled five hits and forced seven walks in the second game.
"I liked how we manufactured runs in the second game … I told the guys that after the game," Butler said. "We had key hits, sacrifices and a suicide squeeze … everything I wanted to see today, we did in the second game.
"Corey and Matt hit the ball every well today."
If the base hitting of Post 129 in the second game was good, the pitching by Merkle was just as potent on the mound as he held Post 11 to just two runs in the first inning and for the next six innings held Lancaster scoreless.
The two first-inning runs by Post 11 were both earned runs, as Merkle finished the game allowing seven hits, six walks and hit one batter, while striking out five.
"Our outfield and infield played well behind Austin, who pitched well," Butler said. "He threw strikes and was around the strike zone all day. He didn't get into much trouble, and his breaking pitches were on.
"He's struggled with his breaking pitches his last two outings, but (Wednesday) he showed when his breaking pitches are on, he's a nice pitcher."
As for their first game of the day against Lancaster, Post 129 was held to just two hits with Walker and Carey each gaining singles. The pitching loss was charged to Bean, who pitched four innings. Docter pitched 1-3 of an inning in relief.
In game one, Lancaster scored four runs in the second, followed by two runs in the third, one in the fourth and six in the top of the fifth.
Hillsboro plays again Thursday as they travel to Portsmouth for a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. with the first game being a league game. On Friday, they play one nine-inning game at Pickerington. Hillsboro returns home Saturday with a doubleheader against Chillicothe Post 757, starting at noon. On Sunday, Post 129 will travel for a doubleheader at Chillicothe Post 62, who play their games at Ross County Park.