Hillsboro reaches .500 mark 
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — Two wins on a muggy Saturday afternoon brought the Hillsboro Post 129 club to the .500 mark for the first time this season. Hillsboro had two quality pitching outings from Casey Jordan and Dustin Taylor, earning 8-5 and 10-1 wins against the Chillicothe Post 757 Colts.
The two wins puts Hillsboro at 20-20 overall this season, reaching the .500 mark after starting the season at 1-9 in their first 10 games played.
"Starting out the season with a hodgepodge of players from four different counties, it takes a while for the team to develop," Hillsboro head coach Ritchie Butler said. "Once the kids realized they can and need to bounce back from mistakes, each year I've been doing this, the team improves from a slow start."
Post 129 is 10-5 in league play, trailing only Portsmouth Post 23. Hillsboro is 1-5 against Post 23 this season, four of the games being league matchups.
"We are still in the league race, but we need to win Monday against Circleville, plus we do need some help, but to get back to 20-20, that is a real testament to players," Butler said.
Hillsboro's game with Piqua Post 189 is back on and will be played Sunday at 2 p.m. at Shaffer Park in a scheduled 9-inning game. The two teams played in the season opener, where Piqua won 1-0.
On Monday, Hillsboro will travel to play Circleville in their final regular season game at 6 p.m. It is scheduled to be played at Circleville High School, but could be changed.
Also on Saturday, Hillsboro was awarded the No. 2 seed in the district tournament and will face Circleville on Sunday, July 17 at 10 a.m. at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.
Hillsboro dominated the first five innings Saturday in game one of the doubleheader, leading 6-0 at that point of the game.
In those innings, the home team collected 11 hits, along with two sacrifices (bunt and fly ball) en route to the aforementioned runs.
"We are hitting the ball well, and that is because the guys are becoming accustomed to the better pitching they are seeing at this level," Butler said.
Hillsboro began their half of the first inning with Ian Adams taking first base on a fielding error, followed with a sacrifice bunt by Corey Walker, but he too reached first base safely on an errant throw by the catcher. The throw that rolled into right field allowed Adams to score a run and Walker to reach third base. Walker scored on a sacrifice fly by Tucker Hughes. Post 129 had two more hits in the inning with Nathaniel Miller and Dustin Taylor each hitting a single.
Taylor finished the first game 3-for-4.
Post 129 added two runs to the scoreboard in the third with Cody Shaver and Taylor scoring runs off base hits by Taylor, who singled in Shaver, and Taylor Smucker, who brought home Taylor for a four-run lead.
The home team added one run in the fourth with Adams (who singled to past the shortstop) eventually scoring on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the fifth, Taylor singled and scored a run on an errant throw, for a 6-0 lead.
The Colts took advantage of an inning of miscues by Post 129, scoring five runs (cutting the Hillsboro lead to one run) on three Hillsboro errors, three hits (two doubles) and one hit by pitch. The one bright spot in the inning, besides the third out, for Hillsboro was a rundown out on five throws between second and third base.
The one-run lead turned back into a three-run advantage with Walker and Hughes scoring runs off a bases-loaded throwing error by the Colts with two outs. Both Walker and Hughes reached the bases on singles, with Walker bunting his way to first and Hughes sending the ball to left field.
Jordan earned the win for Hillsboro, pitching 5 2-3 innings. He allowed six runs, but all the runs were scored after the third out should have been recorded for no earned runs. He allowed four hits and eight walks and struck out five.
Zach Uhl earned the save with 1 1-3 innings on the hill, allowing three hits and striking out two batters.
Hillsboro finished with 12 total hits in the win, with Taylor, Bean and Smucker each having multi-hit games. Bean and Smucker each went 2-for-3 with Smucker gaining a RBI.
Walker scored two runs, with one hit, a steal and a sacrifice bunt. Adams scored twice and Shaver forced a walk, stole a base and scored a run to go with one hit. Hughes had one hit, one run, a sacrifice and two steals.
"The first three games against Post 757 this year we got big leads, they would come back, and we were fortunate to win two of these games," Butler said. "In the fourth game (the second game Saturday) they scored first, and even though our pitching was a little wild early on, we recovered."
In the second game of the twin bill Hillsboro trailed early, but a two-run second inning proved to be enough for Post 129 to gain their 20th win of the season.
Shaver and Tyler Campbell scored the two Hillsboro runs in the bottom of the second for the 2-1 lead. Shaver began the inning with a walk, followed by a steal of second base and third on a passed ball. He tied the game when Campbell doubled to centerfield with one out. Campbell scored on a double to centerfield by Jacob Dillon in the next at-bat.
The one run by Post 757 in the first inning had the potential to be more than just a single run. Post 757 left the bases loaded, and on the two occasions they loaded the bases in the inning, they managed to score a single run, as Taylor struck out the final two batters in the first to end the inning.
"Keeping them to one run in the first inning was huge for us," Butler said. "It was very important to keep them to just one run in that inning."
The score stayed the same until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Hillsboro club scored seven runs for a 9-1 lead.
Scoring runs were Dillon, Luke Meyer, Matt Carey, Bean, Walker, Shaver and Uhl.
Dillon opened the inning with a double to left field, and Meyer came back with a base hit. Carey bunted his way to first base for a single, and a error on the pitcher allowed both Dillon and Meyer to score. Bean followed with a single, scoring Carey, and Bean scored on a single to left field by Shaver.
Before Shaver singled, Walker took first on a base hit, and he eventually scored on a hit by Uhl. Campbell, on a single, gained two RBIs, scoring Shaver and Uhl. All the runs came with one out.
The final Hillsboro run came in the sixth with Bean, who singled to right field, scoring on a base hit by Hughes.
Taylor earned the complete game win. He allowed one earned run on five hits and four walks in seven innings pitched. Taylor struck out six. In the first inning, he tallied three strikeouts and two more in the sixth.
In the second game, all nine Hillsboro batters gained at least one hit. Uhl, Campbell and Dillon each had two hits, with Campbell collecting three RBIs and Dillon legging out two doubles. There were eight Hillsboro RBIs.
"Just doing the little things right … if we keep doing that, it adds up to success," Butler said.[[In-content Ad]]
The two wins puts Hillsboro at 20-20 overall this season, reaching the .500 mark after starting the season at 1-9 in their first 10 games played.
"Starting out the season with a hodgepodge of players from four different counties, it takes a while for the team to develop," Hillsboro head coach Ritchie Butler said. "Once the kids realized they can and need to bounce back from mistakes, each year I've been doing this, the team improves from a slow start."
Post 129 is 10-5 in league play, trailing only Portsmouth Post 23. Hillsboro is 1-5 against Post 23 this season, four of the games being league matchups.
"We are still in the league race, but we need to win Monday against Circleville, plus we do need some help, but to get back to 20-20, that is a real testament to players," Butler said.
Hillsboro's game with Piqua Post 189 is back on and will be played Sunday at 2 p.m. at Shaffer Park in a scheduled 9-inning game. The two teams played in the season opener, where Piqua won 1-0.
On Monday, Hillsboro will travel to play Circleville in their final regular season game at 6 p.m. It is scheduled to be played at Circleville High School, but could be changed.
Also on Saturday, Hillsboro was awarded the No. 2 seed in the district tournament and will face Circleville on Sunday, July 17 at 10 a.m. at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.
Hillsboro dominated the first five innings Saturday in game one of the doubleheader, leading 6-0 at that point of the game.
In those innings, the home team collected 11 hits, along with two sacrifices (bunt and fly ball) en route to the aforementioned runs.
"We are hitting the ball well, and that is because the guys are becoming accustomed to the better pitching they are seeing at this level," Butler said.
Hillsboro began their half of the first inning with Ian Adams taking first base on a fielding error, followed with a sacrifice bunt by Corey Walker, but he too reached first base safely on an errant throw by the catcher. The throw that rolled into right field allowed Adams to score a run and Walker to reach third base. Walker scored on a sacrifice fly by Tucker Hughes. Post 129 had two more hits in the inning with Nathaniel Miller and Dustin Taylor each hitting a single.
Taylor finished the first game 3-for-4.
Post 129 added two runs to the scoreboard in the third with Cody Shaver and Taylor scoring runs off base hits by Taylor, who singled in Shaver, and Taylor Smucker, who brought home Taylor for a four-run lead.
The home team added one run in the fourth with Adams (who singled to past the shortstop) eventually scoring on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the fifth, Taylor singled and scored a run on an errant throw, for a 6-0 lead.
The Colts took advantage of an inning of miscues by Post 129, scoring five runs (cutting the Hillsboro lead to one run) on three Hillsboro errors, three hits (two doubles) and one hit by pitch. The one bright spot in the inning, besides the third out, for Hillsboro was a rundown out on five throws between second and third base.
The one-run lead turned back into a three-run advantage with Walker and Hughes scoring runs off a bases-loaded throwing error by the Colts with two outs. Both Walker and Hughes reached the bases on singles, with Walker bunting his way to first and Hughes sending the ball to left field.
Jordan earned the win for Hillsboro, pitching 5 2-3 innings. He allowed six runs, but all the runs were scored after the third out should have been recorded for no earned runs. He allowed four hits and eight walks and struck out five.
Zach Uhl earned the save with 1 1-3 innings on the hill, allowing three hits and striking out two batters.
Hillsboro finished with 12 total hits in the win, with Taylor, Bean and Smucker each having multi-hit games. Bean and Smucker each went 2-for-3 with Smucker gaining a RBI.
Walker scored two runs, with one hit, a steal and a sacrifice bunt. Adams scored twice and Shaver forced a walk, stole a base and scored a run to go with one hit. Hughes had one hit, one run, a sacrifice and two steals.
"The first three games against Post 757 this year we got big leads, they would come back, and we were fortunate to win two of these games," Butler said. "In the fourth game (the second game Saturday) they scored first, and even though our pitching was a little wild early on, we recovered."
In the second game of the twin bill Hillsboro trailed early, but a two-run second inning proved to be enough for Post 129 to gain their 20th win of the season.
Shaver and Tyler Campbell scored the two Hillsboro runs in the bottom of the second for the 2-1 lead. Shaver began the inning with a walk, followed by a steal of second base and third on a passed ball. He tied the game when Campbell doubled to centerfield with one out. Campbell scored on a double to centerfield by Jacob Dillon in the next at-bat.
The one run by Post 757 in the first inning had the potential to be more than just a single run. Post 757 left the bases loaded, and on the two occasions they loaded the bases in the inning, they managed to score a single run, as Taylor struck out the final two batters in the first to end the inning.
"Keeping them to one run in the first inning was huge for us," Butler said. "It was very important to keep them to just one run in that inning."
The score stayed the same until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Hillsboro club scored seven runs for a 9-1 lead.
Scoring runs were Dillon, Luke Meyer, Matt Carey, Bean, Walker, Shaver and Uhl.
Dillon opened the inning with a double to left field, and Meyer came back with a base hit. Carey bunted his way to first base for a single, and a error on the pitcher allowed both Dillon and Meyer to score. Bean followed with a single, scoring Carey, and Bean scored on a single to left field by Shaver.
Before Shaver singled, Walker took first on a base hit, and he eventually scored on a hit by Uhl. Campbell, on a single, gained two RBIs, scoring Shaver and Uhl. All the runs came with one out.
The final Hillsboro run came in the sixth with Bean, who singled to right field, scoring on a base hit by Hughes.
Taylor earned the complete game win. He allowed one earned run on five hits and four walks in seven innings pitched. Taylor struck out six. In the first inning, he tallied three strikeouts and two more in the sixth.
In the second game, all nine Hillsboro batters gained at least one hit. Uhl, Campbell and Dillon each had two hits, with Campbell collecting three RBIs and Dillon legging out two doubles. There were eight Hillsboro RBIs.
"Just doing the little things right … if we keep doing that, it adds up to success," Butler said.[[In-content Ad]]