CHILLICOTHE — Hillsboro Post 129 gained two wins Saturday afternoon, but played in just one game. The Hillsboro club rallied (after giving up a four-run lead) for their second shootout win of the weekend, defeating Chillicothe Post 62, 9-8.
Earlier in the day, Waverly Post 142 forfeited to Hillsboro, giving Hillsboro its third win over Post 142 this summer. Hillsboro are winners of eight of their last nine games.
But in the game decided between the lines, Hillsboro gained a 5-1 lead, then trailed 8-6 headed into their final at-bat, tied the game and took home the win with a shootout win in the bottom of the eighth.
"This was the worst game we've played in a long time," Hillsboro head coach Ritchie Butler said. "We kicked the ball around on defense, but we did hit the ball OK. But, we didn't hustle when we were on the bases."
In the first inning, all three runners who reached the bases were caught out while running the bases. Two were called out at third and one at second base on running miscues.
"If we would have hustled with two outs, the game would have been over in seven innings," Butler said.
Hillsboro (13-9) trailed 7-5 after the top of the seventh inning, but a big-time triple to the right field fence by Sam Louden changed the outlook of the game for Post 129.
In the bottom of the seventh, Corey Walker forced a walk and Brett Carrington was hit by a pitch as the Post 62 pitcher lost control of a high fastball.
Then it was the hit by Louden that changed the game.
Louden's three-base hit scored both Walker and Carrington, with no outs.
But Hillsboro's first rally was cut short as the next three Post 129 batters were retired via strikeout and two ground outs.
In the eighth, the River Bats continued to pressure Post 129 when they added the go-ahead run in the shootout eighth inning. With the runner standing on second base via shootout tournament rules and with the mandatory one out, Post 62 scored on a base hit after the runner stole third and jogged home on the aforementioned single.
But the game was far from over.
Playing in a shootout game two days before, Hillsboro knew the rules and dodged the Post 62 bullet, and came back with two of their own to seal the win.
Cody Shaver started the one-out eighth inning on second base and advanced to third on a passed ball. Brandon Arehart gave Hillsboro two runners with a forced walk.
And it was the bat of Airic Steagall that put the shootout and game to rest.
Steagall smoked the pitch by Post 62 to knock in both runners as Post 62 was unable to get the throw to third base, allowing Arehart to touch home plate.
The win gives Hillsboro a perfect 4-0 mark in the wood bat tourney. Earlier in the summer Post 129 has struggled in wood bat games.
"I don't know what the difference is this weekend," Butler said about the team hitting with the wooden bats. "We have more experience now with this being our third tournament with the wooden bats. The kids are gaining confidence at the plate."
Hillsboro seemed to have the win sealed up early with a 5-1 lead through three innings, behind four hits, six walks and two errors (committed by Post 62) through the first three innings.
Post 129 didn't score until the second inning when they put two runs on the scoreboard of Ross County Park.
Zach Uhl began the inning with a lead-off walk and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Corey Walker. Uhl raced to third on a base hit by Brett Carrington and scored when Carrington stole second, beating out the throw to home.
Carrington made the score 2-1 (Post 62 scored in the top part of the second) by taking home on one of the two errors committed by Post 62 in the inning.
After Post 129 perfected a double play to end the Post 62 half of the third inning, Hillsboro went to work, tallying three runs for the 5-1 advantage.
With one out, Steagall forced a four-pitch walk. He was followed with a base knock by Uhl, (on a 3-2 count). Both runners advanced one base on a passed ball.
Down to their final out of the inning, Brett Carrington and Louden forced walks, as Louden's was of the bases loaded variety, scoring Steagall from third. Dillon reached first on a dropped third strike, scoring Uhl. Carrington scored with a bases loaded walk by Ian Adams.
In the next two innings, Post 62 capitalized on miscues by Hillsboro, taking a 6-5 advantage.
In the two-inning fall by Post 129, the River Bats had five hits and three forced walks en route to scoring four runs for the lead.
Nathaniel Miller was the winning pitcher for Hillsboro. Miller pitched two innings of relief, allowing two runs (one unearned) as he faced nine batters. Miller allowed one hit.
In the seventh, Post 129 committed three errors, all in the infield, which led to one run for a 7-3 Post 62 advantage.
At the plate, Steagall was 2-for-3 with two walks and one run. Carrington was 1-for-2 with three runs, one walk and one hit by pitch.
Logan Wise, who had the no decision, started the game for Hillsboro, pitching six innings. Wise allowed six runs (six earned) on nine hits and four walks. The McClain grad struck out four.
The win lifts Hillsboro to an overall record of 13-9, as they will play in the SW Wooden Bat Classic championship game on Sunday, July 4 at 11 a.m. The game will be played at Washington Senior High School, the home of the Post 25 Aces.
NOTES: Both teams combined for 16 hits … Each team committed four errors (Post 129 had three in the 7th inning) … Post 129 has won 7 wood bat games this summer … Hillsboro had 8 players draw nine walks Saturday … Post 129 had two sacrifice bunts … Carrington scored one-third of the Post 129 runs against Post 62 … With the forfeit, Post 129 is 3-0 vs. Waverly Post 142 this summer … Hillsboro has won their last four games played on Saturday … Post 129's lone extra base hit was Louden's triple in the seventh inning.
BOX SCORE
C 010 140 11 — 8 10 4
H 023 000 22 — 9 6 4
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