Indians unable to gain win after forcing extras
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The potential is there for the youthful Hillsboro Indians squad, and it showed once again on Saturday after all looked bleak for them as they trailed by six runs at one point.
They eventually rallied against the visiting Western Brown Broncos, scoring seven combined runs in the sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to break the tied score as they left the game-winning run on third in the seventh, eventually falling by a 10-9 score in nine innings at Shaffer Park.
In a game earlier in the day ,the Indians lost a makeup South Central Ohio League game with the London Red Raiders, 7-0, falling to a 3-9 record in the league and 5-18 overall.
"In game two (against WB), the kids and the bats came alive," Hillsboro head coach Tim Hunt said. "We put the ball in play better and took advantage of their miscues.
"That's what we want to see every game from the very start."
Against the Broncos, it looked as though the game was going to be decided in seven innings, but that's the thing with assuming a game is over when dealing with a young team that has talent, but not the experience their opponent has. Anything can happen, especially in baseball, where a couple of hits and miscues can lead to runs and a tied score.
That's what occurred on Saturday.
The Indians entered the seventh three outs way from the end, but they had other plans, needing four runs to tie and five to win.
HHS tied the score.
The seventh for the hosts began with Ryan LeMaster sending the ball to the outfield, followed by Zach Young taking first on an infield error. Lattrell Haithcock brought home a run on a double to centerfield, scoring Lemaster, cutting the deficit to three runs.
Seth Meyer followed with a walk to load the bases, and Cole Reveal in the ensuing at-bat singled to centerfield to plate Young, making it a two-run game. Following a strikeout, Alex Vanzant tied the score as he sent the ball to the outfield for an RBI as Haithcock scored on the hit, and Mayer scored on an error in centerfield in the same sequence of events, tying the score at nine.
Vanzant was left stranded on third, forcing extra innings.
Neither team earned a hit in the eighth as Hillsboro's Ty Crum entered the game as a pitcher an inning before, forcing two fly ball outs and a ground out in the eighth. Crum was charged with the loss as he pitched three innings of relief.
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"Our pitchers came in and did a good job," Hunt said. "Neither have pitched much this season."
In the ninth, the Broncos took the lead for good with their lead off hitter drawing a walk, stealing second and taking third as he beat the throw to the base. The runner scored on a sacrifice fly with one out.
Hillsboro's Trey Moberly reached the bases in the ninth with a two-out single but was left stranded as the game ended on a strikeout. Moberly scored three runs earlier in the game in the first, fifth and sixth innings.
Haithcock scored multiple runs in the game for HHS in the sixth and seventh.
"Our guys worked hard and started to put the ball in play late in the game. We have to play like that all season, but (Saturday) we just didn't show up like we needed to."
Before the comeback effort, both teams scored one run in the first, but the Broncos scored a run in each of the first three innings for a 3-1 lead after three innings. WB improved to an 8-2 advantage with two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth.
HHS responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth with Haithcock, Cole Reveal and Moberly crossing home plate. All three runs in the sixth scored with two outs. Haithcock reached first on a fielder's choice, Reveal singled and Moberly hit a single.
Earlier in the game, the Indians loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth with one out but managed to score just one run.
In the game earlier in the day, the Indians fell to the London Red Raiders 7-0 with LHS scoring twice in the first. The Red Raiders followed by scattering three runs in the third and two in the fourth.
LHS totaled 11 hits, while the Indians collected five hits. Gaining hits for the Indians were Moberly going 2-for-4 and Crum finishing 2-for-3. Haithcock also had a hit.
Nick Stacy was charged with the loss, while Carey gained the win for LHS as the Red Raiders collected 16 strikeouts against HHS.
For the tournament draw on Sunday, the Indians were given a No. 9 seed, as they will play at No. 8 Sheridan on Monday, May 13 at 5 p.m. The winner plays No. 1 seeded Miami Trace on Saturday, May 18.
Before the postseason, the Indians will face Fairfield on Wednesday and play Thursday at Washington. On Friday, the Indians travel to McClain for a makeup game against their county rival.
They eventually rallied against the visiting Western Brown Broncos, scoring seven combined runs in the sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to break the tied score as they left the game-winning run on third in the seventh, eventually falling by a 10-9 score in nine innings at Shaffer Park.
In a game earlier in the day ,the Indians lost a makeup South Central Ohio League game with the London Red Raiders, 7-0, falling to a 3-9 record in the league and 5-18 overall.
"In game two (against WB), the kids and the bats came alive," Hillsboro head coach Tim Hunt said. "We put the ball in play better and took advantage of their miscues.
"That's what we want to see every game from the very start."
Against the Broncos, it looked as though the game was going to be decided in seven innings, but that's the thing with assuming a game is over when dealing with a young team that has talent, but not the experience their opponent has. Anything can happen, especially in baseball, where a couple of hits and miscues can lead to runs and a tied score.
That's what occurred on Saturday.
The Indians entered the seventh three outs way from the end, but they had other plans, needing four runs to tie and five to win.
HHS tied the score.
The seventh for the hosts began with Ryan LeMaster sending the ball to the outfield, followed by Zach Young taking first on an infield error. Lattrell Haithcock brought home a run on a double to centerfield, scoring Lemaster, cutting the deficit to three runs.
Seth Meyer followed with a walk to load the bases, and Cole Reveal in the ensuing at-bat singled to centerfield to plate Young, making it a two-run game. Following a strikeout, Alex Vanzant tied the score as he sent the ball to the outfield for an RBI as Haithcock scored on the hit, and Mayer scored on an error in centerfield in the same sequence of events, tying the score at nine.
Vanzant was left stranded on third, forcing extra innings.
Neither team earned a hit in the eighth as Hillsboro's Ty Crum entered the game as a pitcher an inning before, forcing two fly ball outs and a ground out in the eighth. Crum was charged with the loss as he pitched three innings of relief.
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"Our pitchers came in and did a good job," Hunt said. "Neither have pitched much this season."
In the ninth, the Broncos took the lead for good with their lead off hitter drawing a walk, stealing second and taking third as he beat the throw to the base. The runner scored on a sacrifice fly with one out.
Hillsboro's Trey Moberly reached the bases in the ninth with a two-out single but was left stranded as the game ended on a strikeout. Moberly scored three runs earlier in the game in the first, fifth and sixth innings.
Haithcock scored multiple runs in the game for HHS in the sixth and seventh.
"Our guys worked hard and started to put the ball in play late in the game. We have to play like that all season, but (Saturday) we just didn't show up like we needed to."
Before the comeback effort, both teams scored one run in the first, but the Broncos scored a run in each of the first three innings for a 3-1 lead after three innings. WB improved to an 8-2 advantage with two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth.
HHS responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth with Haithcock, Cole Reveal and Moberly crossing home plate. All three runs in the sixth scored with two outs. Haithcock reached first on a fielder's choice, Reveal singled and Moberly hit a single.
Earlier in the game, the Indians loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth with one out but managed to score just one run.
In the game earlier in the day, the Indians fell to the London Red Raiders 7-0 with LHS scoring twice in the first. The Red Raiders followed by scattering three runs in the third and two in the fourth.
LHS totaled 11 hits, while the Indians collected five hits. Gaining hits for the Indians were Moberly going 2-for-4 and Crum finishing 2-for-3. Haithcock also had a hit.
Nick Stacy was charged with the loss, while Carey gained the win for LHS as the Red Raiders collected 16 strikeouts against HHS.
For the tournament draw on Sunday, the Indians were given a No. 9 seed, as they will play at No. 8 Sheridan on Monday, May 13 at 5 p.m. The winner plays No. 1 seeded Miami Trace on Saturday, May 18.
Before the postseason, the Indians will face Fairfield on Wednesday and play Thursday at Washington. On Friday, the Indians travel to McClain for a makeup game against their county rival.