Aaron Stepanek flares a ray of sunshine out to second base in the third inning of the first game of a double-header against Sedgwick. Stepanek pitched four innings of an 18-3 win in the second game. Andrew Ottoson / Free Press. Click photo to enlarge.
Hillsboro’s Travis Riesen fires to third during Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader with Sedgwick. Riesen pitched a three-hit shutout. Andrew Ottoson / Free Press. Click photo to enlarge.
The two games were very different, but the outcome was the same as Hillsboro swept a pair of non-league games from Sedgwick Friday at Memorial Field, 3-0 and 18-3.
Trojan ace Travis Riesen scattered three hits for a seven-inning shutout in a tight Game 1. But in Game 2 the Trojans combined 18 hits with nine Cardinal errors in a five-inning route.
Riesen allowed a leadoff single in Game 1 and one hit in the fourth and fifth innings en route to the win. He struck out eight Cardinals and walked only one.
His teammates gave him the only run he would need in the the first inning. Dustin Jost led off with a single and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Lucas Hamm.
Hillsboro didn’t score again until the fifth when Isaac Leihy walked, stole second and scored on Sedgwick error on a ball hit by Mitchell Koop.
The Trojans added a run in the sixth when Troy Frick led off with a walk, advanced on an error and scored on a ground out by Alex Nuss.
Hillsboro managed only two hits against Sedgwick starter Austin Boone, who pitched the entire game for the Cardinals.
Game 2 was decided relatively early as the Trojans turned five hits and two Sedgwick errors into five runs in their first at-bat. Nuss tripled and Aaron Stepanek and Tyler Ediger doubled in the inning.
The game turned into a laugher in the second inning as Hillsboro added eight more runs, this time on seven singles and six Sedgwick errors.
After a scoreless third inning, Hillsboro scored five more times on four hits and one error in the fourth. When Jacob Fish pitched a scoreless inning of relief in the top of fifth, the game was over by run rule.
Stepanek, who allowed single runs in each of the first three innings, picked up the victory, allowing no hits in four innings of work.
The senior struck out four batters and walked five. Two of the three runs he allowed were earned.
At the plate, six Trojans picked up two hits each, despite liberal substitutions by coach Phil Oelke. The top five hitters in the order—Jost, Frick, Hamm, Nuss and Riesen each had a pair of hits and combined for a 10-for-18 performance.
Ediger also had two hits and led the team with three runs batted in.
Hoisington—Hillsboro split a pair of games at Hoisington on Tuesday, winning the opener 13-2 in six innings before dropping the nightcap 8-7 in extra innings.
Daniel Jost was the winning pitcher for Hillsboro in Game 1, striking out five Cardinals and issuing only two walks.
In Game 2, Hillsboro led for much of the contest, but Hoisington tied the score 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh.
Hillsboro went back in front in the top of the eighth, but three Hillsboro errors in the bottom of the inning opened the door for the tying and winning runs for the home team.
Troy Frick started the game for the Trojans, with Gavin Serene and Isaac Leihy coming in for relief in the sixth. Leihy absorbed the loss.
Coming—The Trojans (4-4) were scheduled to make up a doubleheader at Wichita Collegiate on Monday, but results were not available at press time.
On Friday, the Trojans will host Lyons for a twinbill at Memorial Field with the first game starting at 4:30 p.m.
The following Monday, Hillsboro is scheduled to make up a weather-delayed doubleheader against Marion at Memorial Field starting at 4:30 p.m.
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.
