American Legion Post 129 baseball got underway on Tuesday at Shaffer Park against the visiting Cincinnati Trailblazers. The under 19 team features familiar faces from local Highland County schools.
Coach Scott Morgan, when asked about the talent on the team, said “We have some good boys this year and I think we are going to do well.”
The Trailblazers started the game at the plate facing off against Whiteoak High School’s Evan Brill. The Trailblazers got off to a good start plating two runs in the top of the first inning to put Post 129 on their heels starting out.
Hillsboro got one back in the bottom of the first inning to bring the score to 2-1 entering the top of the second inning. Despite scoring a run in the inning Post 129 looked tentative at the plate and left two additional runners on base.
Brill started to settle down in the top of the second inning, not allowing a run in the inning and forcing Cincinnati to leave two runners on base.
Post 129 really got things going in the bottom of the second inning as they scored two runs courtesy of a monster double by Jonah Humphries which plated Mathews and Bell to give Hillsboro the 3-2 lead heading into the top of the third inning.
Cincinnati left a runner on base in the top of the third inning as Brill continued to throw pitches for strikes and the defense behind him gobbled up every ball that came their way.
Hillsboro plated another run in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-2 lead heading into the top of the fourth.
The fourth inning was more of the same for the Trailblazers as they failed to put a run on the board and trailed by a score of 4-2.
The Trailblazers got themselves in some trouble in the bottom of the fourth inning as Post 129 loaded the bases and saw two runs scored on walks giving the local boys a 6-2 lead that they would not relinquish.
Legion Post 129 went on to win by a final score of 9-5 in nine innings. Brill picked up the win for Hillsboro by pitching five strong innings and only allowing 2 runs.
Hillsboro American Legion Post 129 is scheduled for a game at Piqua on Wednesday.
Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.
