Baseball is back and the Hillsboro Indians opened their season on Monday at Shaffer Park in Hillsboro with a loss to the Unioto Shermans by a score of 6-4.

The Indians lead 4-3 heading into the top of the seventh inning but, Hillsboro allowed three runs in the inning and were unable to get their bats going in the bottom of the seventh as Jared Thompson, Justin Scott and Ethan Watson were retired in order to bring the game to close.

Hillsboro gained a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning when Mason Stanley scored from second base on a passed ball.

The Shermans answered in the top of the second inning as they scored two runs of their own to take the lead.

The Indians tied the game a two run apiece in the bottom of the third inning when Bell, who reached base on a walk, scored when Kelton Anderson grounded out to the short stop for an RBI.

Unioto had yet another answer in the top of the fourth inning when they employed some small ball of their own and used a sacrifice to plate a runner and take back the lead at 3-2.

Following the top of the fifth inning that saw the Indians hold the Shermans in check, Hillsboro scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning as Anderson and Thompson scored on RBIs by Watson and Dylan Boone respectively.

The Indians held Unioto without a run in the sixth inning but were also unable to pad their lead in the bottom of the sixth.

The Shermans were able to plate three runs in the top of the seventh inning as they nearly batted around the order against Hillsboro’s Scott on the mound.

Hillsboro head coach Matt Garman praised starting pitcher Ethan Humphries following the game.

“Ethan did an absolutely fantastic job on the mound. He was really settled in after the second inning. He is just a pure pitcher. He hits his spots, he works counts great, mixes up speed well and really entices the hitter to hit his pitch. I thought he was in control. Unfortunately he was in line for the win and we couldn’t come in and get the save for him,” said Garman.

The Indians will be back in action on Tuesday, March 27, when they travel to Chillicothe to take on the Waverly Tigers at Paints Stadium at 4 p.m.

Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.

Hillsboro senior Payton Bell slides into third base on Monday at Shaffer Park where the Indians hosted the Shermans of Unioto High School.

http://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2018/03/web1_Payton-Bell-Slide-2018.jpgHillsboro senior Payton Bell slides into third base on Monday at Shaffer Park where the Indians hosted the Shermans of Unioto High School. Ryan Applegate | The Times-Gazette

Ethan Watson, a junior at Hillsboro High School, tracks down a fly ball in center field at Shaffer Park in Hillsboro where the Indians fell to the Shermans 6-4 on Monday.

http://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2018/03/web1_Ethan-Watson-BB-2018.jpgEthan Watson, a junior at Hillsboro High School, tracks down a fly ball in center field at Shaffer Park in Hillsboro where the Indians fell to the Shermans 6-4 on Monday. Ryan Applegate | The Times-Gazette