Hillsboro Indians advance to district semifinals

The No. 6 seeded Hillsboro Indians fended off a late-inning charge by the No. 3 seeded Sheridan Generals in the Division III SE District Quarterfinals on Thursday to move on to the semifinals, winning by a 7-5 score at Sheridan High School. 

The May 21 win saw the Indians lead by a 7-0 score with a run in the top of the first inning, followed by five runs in the third, and their last run of the game crossed home plate in the top of the fourth inning. 

Sheridan rallied with a two-run bottom of the fifth, then they added three runs in the sixth inning. Sheridan had the game-tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Hillsboro pitcher Brody Kelch forced the batter from Sheridan to ground out to the shortstop for the final out of the game. 

Hillsboro’s scoring began in the top of the first where they gained the one-run advantage when Jack Cornele stole home with two outs, as he initially reached the bases on a one-out fly ball hit to right field. 

The biggest inning for the Indians was the top of the third with five runs crossing home plate, starting with a Charlie Starks lead-off walk on five pitches. Next was a double hit by Walker Pence on a 0-1 count, with the ball landing in right field, moving Starks to third base. 

Cornele hit into a fielder’s choice, with Starks out on the bases, while Pence stayed at second base. Zack Brown loaded the bases with a five-pitch walk, then HHS scored their first run of the third as Luke Holland gained an RBI with a six-pitch walk, allowing Pence to score a run for a 2-0 lead. 

The lead went to three runs with Brody Kelch reaching first base on a fielder’s choice, scoring Cornele. Hillsboro made it a 4-0 lead when Brown stole home and Kelch stole second base for the double steal. 

Hillsboro's lead jumped to 6-0 when Kelch scored on a passed ball, and Mason Dumpert took first base on an error, scoring Von Steward (who walked earlier in the inning). 

The Indians’ seventh run of the game scored when Cornele took third base on a passed ball in the top of the fourth, then raced home on a passed ball. 

Hillsboro totaled four hits in the win and forced nine walks. Pence went 1-for-4 with one run and a double. Cornele finished 1-for-3 with three runs, a walk and a steal. Holland was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. 

Steward went 1-for-3 with a run, a walk and a steal. Brown totaled one run, two walks and a steal. Kelch ended the day with one run, a steal and one RBI. Carter Stingley finished the game with two walks. Starks had two walks in the win by the Indians. 

Holland was the winning pitcher for Hillsboro, pitching all seven innings, allowing no earned runs on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Holland threw 95 pitches, facing 35 batters. 

For the game, the Generals had five hits and two errors, while the Indians had four hits and seven errors. 

The win moves the Indians to 12-11 on the season. 

Next for Hillsboro is a Division III SE DIstrict semifinal game on Wednesday, May 27 at Wren Stadium at Ohio University against No. 7 seeded Vincent Warren at 6:30 p.m. Warren defeated No. 2 seeded Miami Trace, 6-1 in their district quarterfinal game. 

BOX SCORE
HHS    105 100 0 — 7 4 7 
SHS    000 023 0 — 5 5 2