The Washington Blue Lions varsity baseball team was back on the diamond at Washington High School on a sunny, but still cold Thursday afternoon, taking on the Indians of Hillsboro High School.

In what turned out to be a real pitcher’s duel, the Blue Lions scored in the bottom of the fifth and held on for a 1-0 victory.

Washington is now 5-2 in the FAC, 9-3 overall.

Nick Barrett started and pitched a complete game for Washington. He scattered seven hits, struck out six and walked one.

Luke Magulac worked six innings for Hillsboro with one run (unearned) on just three hits. He struck out six and walked three.

“Nick pitched great,” Washington head coach Mark Schwartz said. “That was his best outing so far this season. He was in a zone. I couldn’t be more proud of him.

“Hillsboro is a good team,” Schwartz said.

Washington’s Bailey Roberts led off the fifth inning with a single to left field.

With one out, George Reno walked and Eli Ruth reached on an error to load the bases.

Tyler Rood came up and hit a ball to center for a sacrifice fly to score Roberts.

“You have to tip your cap to (Nick Barrett),” Hillsboro head coach Matt Garman said. “He pitched a whale of a game.”

There were missed opportunities for Hillsboro, Garman explained.

“We had eight at-bats tonight with runners in scoring position,” Garman said. “Any one of them goes our way, the game turns out differently. When we did have those opportunities, (Barrett) bared down and made it tough on us.

“Our starting pitcher, Luke Magulac, did a great job,” Garman said. “He kept them off-balance all game. Our guys behind him made plays. They always say, you have to score one to win and they scored one and we didn’t.”

Washington is at Jackson Friday.

“They are better than their record (1-5 in the FAC, 5-6 overall),” Schwartz said. “We’ll have our hands full.”

Hillsboro (3-4 in the FAC, 5-9 overall) is scheduled to host Miami Trace Friday.

The Panthers’ game at Chillicothe was postponed on Thursday and has been rescheduled for Saturday beginning at noon.

Softball

On a bright, sunny, but still windy and cold Thursday afternoon, the Lady Lions of Washington High School hosted the Hillsboro Indians in a varsity softball game in the Frontier Athletic Confernce.

Washington had a good start, then fell behind, only to rally in the later innings to post a 7-6 victory.

Both starting pitchers went the distance in this game.

Brooklyn Devenport got the win for Washington. She pitched seven innings with 10 hits, six runs (four earned), seven strikeouts and five walks.

Christine Page pitched six innings for Hillsboro with seven hits and seven runs (all earned) with two strikeouts and no walks.

Three players collected two hits apiece for Washington.

Lilly Cowman hit a two-run home run and drove in a total of three runs. Danika Marcum hit a double and Maddy Jenkins hit a double.

Mallory Parsons led Hillsboro with three hits and three rbi.

“We came out a little complacent,” Washington head coach Randy Elzey said. “We put three runs on the board, but, we were complacent and we addressed that between innings.

“Sometimes all a team needs is a little bit of hope,” Elzey said. “And we gave them that. That was my disappointment in my squad. We didn’t come with that fire and we gave them hope and they responded.

“I take my hat off to Hillsboro, Elzey said. “They battled us. We finally had to wake up and come through with our bats. Annie Semler there at the end of the game came through with a big hit for us.”

In the bottom of the first, Marcum singled, Jenkins followed with a double to left, scoring Marcum and Cowman hit a home run over the center field fence for a 3-0 Washington lead.

The Indians tied the game with three runs in the top of the third.

Jordan Moberly singled and Riley Moberly hit into a fielder’s choice.

Page walked and Parsons singled, scoring R. Moberly.

Pettyjohn ran for Page and the runners advanced on a passed ball. Hughes reached on an error that scored two.

Hillsboro took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth.

Parsons and Hughes both singled. Burba was sent in to run for Hughes.

Parsons was out on a fielder’s choice and Burba scored on a ground out by Kelcie Thornburg.

The top of the sixth was another scoring inning for Hillsboro.

Reagan Kiley walked and J. Moberly singled.

R. Moberly singled, loading the bases.

The next batter hit into a fielder’s choice with a force out at home.

Parsons then singled scoring J. Moberly and R. Moberly.

Washington rallied for four runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Marcum led off with a double and Jenkins had a single.

Cowman hit a single, scoring Marcum.

Maddison Osborn hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Jenkins.

Macy Miller pinch-ran for Cowman.

Washington had the bases loaded with no outs.

The next two Washington batters were retired, bringing Annie Semler to the plate.

She delivered a single to center, scoring Miller and Osborn.

Hillsboro had a batter reach on an error and a two-out walk to threaten in the top of the seventh.

The next batter was retired to end the game.

“We were close tonight, but not close enough yet,” Hillsboro head coach Katie Moberly said. “We’re making progress every day and that’s what we’re looking for at this point.

“We have a lot of young kids and they are learning every day,” Moberly said. “The pitchers are starting to learn that you have to hit your spots in order to have success.

Washington (4-3 in the FAC, 6-6 overall) is at Jackson Friday.

Hillsboro (0-7 in the conference, 0-9 overall) is home against Miami Trace Friday.

Miami Trace will play at Chillicothe Saturday at noon.

Hillsboro plays a doubleheader at home against New Richmond Saturday, with the first game starting at noon

Chris Hoppes is the Sports Editor for the Record-Herald in Washington Court House.