Brian Fruechting hustles down the line as the throw sails wide of HHS first baseman Tyler Ediger. Isaac Leihy trails the play from his pitchers spot. Leihy took the loss in the first game—an 11-10 Marion win decided on a 9th inning RBI single by Fruechting. Don Ratzlaff / Free Press
Brian Freuchting’s run-scoring base hit in the top of the ninth inning propelled Marion to an 11-10 win over Hillsboro in the first game of their doubleheader on Thursday.
Marion came back to sweep the twinbill with a 9-6 victory over the Trojans in Game 2 at Memorial Field.
SCORECARD
The two teams combined for 13 errors in the opener in what turned into a seesaw game. Marion touched Hillsboro ace Isaac Leihy for two runs in the first inning on RBI singles by Zan Fine and Colton Olsen.
Hillsboro came back with single runs in the first and second against Freuchting’s pitching, then scored two runs in third and three more in the fifth to take what appeared to be a commanding 9-3 lead.
Marion rallied for three runs in the sixth, but Hillsboro countered with a run in the bottom of the inning to carry a 10-6 lead into the final regulation inning.
Once again the Warriors rallied, scoring four times in the seventh to tie the contest. Mitch Ragland started the rally with a one-out double, with Matt Sprowls, Calvin Jeffrey and Freuchting adding RBI hits to to Marion’s five-hit inning.
Jeffrey kept the Trojans at bay in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings. Marion scored the go-ahead run in the ninth when Jeffrey led off with a single, advanced on a hit by Fine and scored on Freuchting’s single.
Jeffrey then held off the Trojans in the bottom of the ninth, keeping the tying run 90 feet away at the end. With two outs, Jacob Fish reached on an error, and advanced to third on an infield single by Aaron Bina and a wild pitch. But Jeffrey fielded Mitchell Koop’s ground ball and threw him out for third and final out.
Jeffrey picked up the win with three complete innings of shutout relief. Freuchting lasted four innings and Ragland two.
For Hillsboro, Leihy threw 51⁄3 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits. Delk allowed four runs in 11⁄3 innings of relief before being relieved by Daniel Jost, who was tagged with the loss after allowing only one run in 21⁄3 innings.
On the offensive end, Jeffrey fueled the Warriors, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and four runs scored. Fine chipped in three hits and Freuchting and Olsen two each as the Warriors tallied 16 as a team.
Leihy led the Trojans with a 3-for-6 game, including a grand-slam home run and a pair of triples, with five RBI and two runs scored. Jost, Bina and Chris Couts each added two hits to Hillsboro’s 12-hit attack.
In Game 2, the fourth inning proved to be critical. With Hillsboro leading 3-2, Marion erupted for four runs against starter Jacob Edwards and Tyler Ediger, who came on in relief. Mitchell Cady and Jeffrey contributed Marion’s only two hits, but the cause was aided by two walks and two Trojan errors.
Hillsboro came back to score two runs in the bottom of the inning to pull within 6-5. Both teams scored single runs in the sixth before Marion added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh for the final three-point margin. Once again Jeffrey came in for late relief, throwing the last two innings for Marion to pick up his second victory of the day.
Edwards absorbed the loss for Hillsboro. He allowed five hits and walked four in 31⁄3 innings. Five of the six runs he allowed were earned. Ediger threw the final 32⁄3 innings and gave up the three runs, but only one was earned. He allowed four hits and walked three.
Hillsboro managed only five hits in the nightcap, with Jost picking up two, including a triple.
For Marion, Jeffrey capped a monster day with a 4-for-4 showing at the plate with three runs scored and an RBI. He drew a walk in his fifth plate appearance. As a team, Marion managed eight hits.
Coming—Hillsboro, with an 9-7 record, was scheduled to complete its regular season with a doubleheader at Haven on Tuesday.
The Trojans will begin regional tournament play at Marion on Monday through Thursday, May 12 through 15.
Joining the Trojans and Warriors in the single-elimination field are Ellsworth, Southeast of Saline, Halstead, Lyons and Sacred Heart.
Write Comment
Write Comment
Please keep the topic of messages relevant to the subject of the article.
Personal verbal attacks will be deleted.
Please don't use comments to plug your web site. Such material will be removed.
Just ensure to *Refresh* your browser for a new security code to be displayed prior to clicking on the 'Send' button.
Keep in mind that the above process only applies if you simply entered the wrong security code.
