Hillsboro American Legion Post 129 baseball continued their run of strong play on Wednesday when they hosted Chillicothe Post 62 at Shaffer Park for a double header. Post 129 claimed both games by scores of 11-7 and 5-2 respectively.
In the first game Ethan Humphries got the start for Post 129 and pitched five full innings, allowed 11 hits and seven runs (four earned), struck out two and walked one. Austin Brown relieved Humphries to start the sixth inning and pitched two innings of scoreless baseball, struck out three batters and walked two.
Offensively the Hillsboro squad was led by Traeten Hamilton as he finished with two hits, four RBI, a walk and a run scored in three at bats. Caleb West and Gavin Taulbee accounted for the other two hits in the game for Post 129. Mason Stanley was responsible for the fifth RBI of the game for Hillsboro.
Post 129 trailed for much of the game as Post 62 put up two runs in both the second and third innings to take an early 4-0 lead. Hillsboro plated their first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning as Hamilton scored on a sacrifice fly by Stanley.
Chillicothe added another run in the top of the fourth inning to extend the lead back to four runs. Post 129 answered in the bottom of the fourth as the Post 62 pitcher issued four straight walks to load the bases and the Hillsboro hitters took advantage to post four runs in the inning and tie the game at five runs each entering the fifth inning.
Chillicothe plated two more runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a brief 7-5 lead however, Post 129 wiped away all doubt in the bottom of the inning as they plated two runs to tie the game at seven runs apiece on an error by the Chillicothe third baseman. Hamilton pushed Hillsboro ahead with a three run double to give Post 129 a 10-7 lead. Hillsboro added the final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning to provide the final score.
The second game of the double header was shortened because of a lack of light and saw Post 129 post a 5-2 win in four innings of play. Jesse Walker got the nod for Hillsboro and pitched three and one-third innings. Walker allowed one hit and two runs, struck out three and walked one.
Hillsboro came out in the bottom of the first with hot feet as they plated three runs in the inning to take an early 3-0 lead over the visitors from Chillicothe. Matthew Mitchell scored the first run on a wild pitch during West’s at bat. West went on to score two batters later on a second passed ball during Stanley’s at bat. Kelton Anderson finished off the scoring on a third passed ball as the Chillicothe pitcher struggled with his control.
A two run home run in the top of the third inning got Post 62 to within on run but they would get no closer as Hillsboro plated two more runs in the bottom of the third and held Chillicothe scoreless in the top of the fourth inning to secure the victory.
Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.
