Twice as nice: Hillsboro walks off 2 times against Capitals
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — This season, the Post 129 Legion team has had a way of winning close games late, and that was no different Wednesday in both games of a doubleheader against the Chillicothe Capitals, with both victories coming in walk-off form.
One win came on a base hit for a 3-2 victory, and the second win came on a squeeze bunt to defeat the Capitals 5-4. The wins move Hillsboro to 17-20 overall, with a SCOL record of 7-5.
"These were two well-played games for both teams tonight," Post 129 head coach Ritchie Butler said.
In the first game of the twin bill, in the seventh inning, the two-out game-winning hit came off the bat of Zach Uhl, who sent the ball into the outfield on a 2-2 count, scoring Corey Walker from third and Dustin Taylor from second for a 3-2 Hillsboro win.
In the seventh, Walker reached first with a single to the outfield. Walker finished 4-for-4 with four base hits and one run.
Taylor followed by sending the ball, with two strikes, to right field. The bases were loaded with Tucker Hughes drawing a walk with one out.
Uhl's at-bat came with two outs, keeping the game alive by drawing the count to 2-2 before ending it with a hard hit to score the tying and go-ahead runs. Uhl finished 3-for-4 at the plate.
"All we needed was that hit from Zach, and he came through for us," Butler said.
Hillsboro trailed 2-0 until the fourth inning when Hughes crossed home plate to make the score 2-1.
In the bottom of the fourth, Hughes led off with a single through the middle of the infield. After a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Campbell, Hughes reached third on a single by Uhl. Hughes scored on a single to right field by Bryce Bean.
One of the bigger moments of the game occurred in the top of the seventh when Nathaniel Miller entered the game as an relief pitcher, with two runners on second and third.
Miller struck out the side to gain the win. He began by getting the first batter he faced out on five pitches, followed by consecutive 0-2 counts for two more swinging strike-threes.
The no-decision went to Jacob Dillon, who pitched into the seventh inning. Dillon finished with nine strikeouts, including a three-strikeout inning in the fifth and a two-strikeout inning to open the game. Dillon allowed two earned runs on seven hits and three walks.
"We had good pitching from everyone," Butler said. "Jacob did well, and Miller came in and struck out the side."
Hillsboro was hit by pitches three times with Taylor, Hughes and Bean all taking a free base. Hughes and Miller also received a free base via walks.
The second game was just as thrilling for Post 129, with Walker scoring on a squeeze play as Tyler Campbell bunted the ball perfectly away from the plate, as Walker raced to the plate, sliding feet-first for the game-winning run in extra innings for a 5-4 win.
What turned out to be a nine-inning game, ended with Walker beginning the bottom of the ninth with a base hit on an 0-2 count to right field. Hughes and Uhl each followed with a walk. The game ended with the squeeze play at home, breaking the 4-4 tie.
Hillsboro scored their first run in the third, trailing 3-0 at the time, on a one-out double by Hughes, scoring Walker.
Post 129 took the lead with a three-run fourth inning as Bean, Brandon Carter and Ian Adams all scored runs.
Bean began the inning by taking first on a error, taking second on a balk and third on a passed ball. With one out, Carter gained the RBI by taking first on an infield throwing error, scoring Bean. Carter scored on a double to the centerfield fence by Adams, tying the game at three.
Hughes broke the tie with a double, scoring Adams with two outs.
The Capitals tied the game at four in the top of the seventh on a infield error by Hillsboro.
Matt Carey earned the win for Hillsboro, pitching all nine innings. Carey totaled 120 pitches, striking out nine. He allowed four runs on six hits and one walk, but none of the runs were earned as the Post 129 defense committed seven errors in the second game.
"Matt in the second game did excellent," Butler said. "He kept saying 'leave me in, leave me in,' so we did. We didn't do a lot for him defensively, but we got a couple double plays to get out of some jams."
For Post 129 at the plate, Walker and Hughes each had two hits in the nightcap with Walker walking once, while tallying one run and one RBI.
Hughes had two RBIs and two walks.
Uhl finished with one hit and two walks.
Post 129 will play at Washington C.H. on Thursday, facing the Post 25 Aces in an SCOL game at 6 p.m. at the Blue Lion Field.[[In-content Ad]]
One win came on a base hit for a 3-2 victory, and the second win came on a squeeze bunt to defeat the Capitals 5-4. The wins move Hillsboro to 17-20 overall, with a SCOL record of 7-5.
"These were two well-played games for both teams tonight," Post 129 head coach Ritchie Butler said.
In the first game of the twin bill, in the seventh inning, the two-out game-winning hit came off the bat of Zach Uhl, who sent the ball into the outfield on a 2-2 count, scoring Corey Walker from third and Dustin Taylor from second for a 3-2 Hillsboro win.
In the seventh, Walker reached first with a single to the outfield. Walker finished 4-for-4 with four base hits and one run.
Taylor followed by sending the ball, with two strikes, to right field. The bases were loaded with Tucker Hughes drawing a walk with one out.
Uhl's at-bat came with two outs, keeping the game alive by drawing the count to 2-2 before ending it with a hard hit to score the tying and go-ahead runs. Uhl finished 3-for-4 at the plate.
"All we needed was that hit from Zach, and he came through for us," Butler said.
Hillsboro trailed 2-0 until the fourth inning when Hughes crossed home plate to make the score 2-1.
In the bottom of the fourth, Hughes led off with a single through the middle of the infield. After a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Campbell, Hughes reached third on a single by Uhl. Hughes scored on a single to right field by Bryce Bean.
One of the bigger moments of the game occurred in the top of the seventh when Nathaniel Miller entered the game as an relief pitcher, with two runners on second and third.
Miller struck out the side to gain the win. He began by getting the first batter he faced out on five pitches, followed by consecutive 0-2 counts for two more swinging strike-threes.
The no-decision went to Jacob Dillon, who pitched into the seventh inning. Dillon finished with nine strikeouts, including a three-strikeout inning in the fifth and a two-strikeout inning to open the game. Dillon allowed two earned runs on seven hits and three walks.
"We had good pitching from everyone," Butler said. "Jacob did well, and Miller came in and struck out the side."
Hillsboro was hit by pitches three times with Taylor, Hughes and Bean all taking a free base. Hughes and Miller also received a free base via walks.
The second game was just as thrilling for Post 129, with Walker scoring on a squeeze play as Tyler Campbell bunted the ball perfectly away from the plate, as Walker raced to the plate, sliding feet-first for the game-winning run in extra innings for a 5-4 win.
What turned out to be a nine-inning game, ended with Walker beginning the bottom of the ninth with a base hit on an 0-2 count to right field. Hughes and Uhl each followed with a walk. The game ended with the squeeze play at home, breaking the 4-4 tie.
Hillsboro scored their first run in the third, trailing 3-0 at the time, on a one-out double by Hughes, scoring Walker.
Post 129 took the lead with a three-run fourth inning as Bean, Brandon Carter and Ian Adams all scored runs.
Bean began the inning by taking first on a error, taking second on a balk and third on a passed ball. With one out, Carter gained the RBI by taking first on an infield throwing error, scoring Bean. Carter scored on a double to the centerfield fence by Adams, tying the game at three.
Hughes broke the tie with a double, scoring Adams with two outs.
The Capitals tied the game at four in the top of the seventh on a infield error by Hillsboro.
Matt Carey earned the win for Hillsboro, pitching all nine innings. Carey totaled 120 pitches, striking out nine. He allowed four runs on six hits and one walk, but none of the runs were earned as the Post 129 defense committed seven errors in the second game.
"Matt in the second game did excellent," Butler said. "He kept saying 'leave me in, leave me in,' so we did. We didn't do a lot for him defensively, but we got a couple double plays to get out of some jams."
For Post 129 at the plate, Walker and Hughes each had two hits in the nightcap with Walker walking once, while tallying one run and one RBI.
Hughes had two RBIs and two walks.
Uhl finished with one hit and two walks.
Post 129 will play at Washington C.H. on Thursday, facing the Post 25 Aces in an SCOL game at 6 p.m. at the Blue Lion Field.[[In-content Ad]]