ORIGINALLY WRITTEN TOM STOPPEL
Hillsboro American Legion Post 366 split a pair of five-inning games against Lyons on Thursday at Memorial Field.
Hillsboro won the first game convincingly, 10-2, but Lyons took Game 2, 15-9, thanks in part to 11 walks surrendered by the home team.
“We walked too many guys in the second game and we struggled throwing strikes,” coach Lyman Adams said. “I think part of it was that we won the first game pretty soundly and we just had a tough time getting everybody up in the second game.
“It was kind of a hard lesson to learn.”
In the opener, left-handed pitcher Clayton Garnica kept Lyons off balance all evening, allowing only one hit-a fifth inning single. By then, Hillsboro had built a 10-0 lead.
Hillsboro took a 1-0 lead in the first when Daniel Jost led off with a single, stole second and scored on a Chad Hughbanks groundout.
Post 366 added three runs in the second as Alex Nuss singled and Daniel Berg struck out but reached on a throwing error. Nuss scored on the play.
Berg scored later in the inning on a Jost ground ball that was misplayed by Lyons.
Garnica helped his own cause when he doubled to score Jost for a 4-0 Hillsboro lead.
In the third inning, four more Hillsboro runners crossed home plate as Post 366 took an 8-0 lead.
Justin Moore was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, stole second and scored on an Adam Scheele single. Scheele was erased from base on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Jake Liles, but Liles scored later on an error.
After Nuss walked and Berg reached on an error, both runners scored on a clutch two-out single by Zack Slayden.
Hillsboro added its final two runs in the fourth inning. Garnica reached on an error and scored on a Hughbanks triple to left field. Hughbanks scored one batter later when Moore hit a sacrifice fly to left field.
For the hot-hitting Moore (.850), it was one of the few times he’s failed to reach base, although it wasn’t an official plate appearance.
In 11 games, Moore has reached 28 times in 31 at bats with 17 base hits and 11 walks.
“Justin continues to be our hottest hitter,” Adams said. “His on-base percentage is just phenomenal and his batting average is way up there.”
Lyons scored its only two runs in the fifth off Garnica on a Hillsboro error and a Lyons walk.
“Clayton pitched a magnificent game against them,” Adams said. “He kept changing speeds and the boys played well behind him.”
Game 2 was a different story.
“We struggled the whole game,” Adams said. “We didn’t do the things we do best, we made mental mistakes fielding and running the bases. It was just an ugly game.”
Daniel Jost started on the mound but lasted a little more than one inning. He allowed three hits and four walks as Lyons took a quick 3-0 lead in its first at-bat.
Hillsboro answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning when, with two outs, Hughbanks singled and Moore and Liles walked and all three eventually scored.
Lyons countered with five runs in the second. Moore relieved Jost but issued five walks.
Hillsboro added a pair of second-inning runs when Berg reached on an error and Mitchell Koop walked before Jost and Hughbanks stroked run-scoring singles.
Lyons added two runs in the third, three in the fourth and a pair of runs in the fifth off Berg and Liles.
Hillsboro managed three fourth-inning runs as Jost, Garnica and Hughbanks all scored. Hughbanks and Moore were credited with RBIs.
Hillsboro’s final run came in the fifth when Alfonse Klenda led off with a walk and scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Slayden.
With the split, Hillsboro’s record is 8-4 for the season.
“We get a chance to go to Lyons next Tuesday and hopefully we’ll take our A-game over there and take a pair,” Adams said.
Lindsborg-Facing a team comprised of area all-stars, Hillsboro Legion Post 366 lost at Lindsborg Tuesday night, 16-2 and 19-0.
“We had a rough night with Lindsborg, getting run-ruled both games,” coach Lyman Adams said. “They’re a recruited NBC team that plays every weekend.”
In the opener, starter Adam Scheele lasted 22⁄3 innings. He allowed 12 runs on three hits, but walked eight. The result was a five-run first inning by Lindsborg followed by an eight run third inning for a 13-0 lead.
Post 366 averted the shutout in the top of the fourth. Clayton Garnica led off with a walk and advanced on a Chad Hughbanks fielder’s choice. Justin Moore drove in Garnica with a sacrifice fly to left field and Alex Nuss brought Hughbanks home with a single to cut the lead to 13-2.
But that’s all Hillsboro scored. Lindsborg added three runs off relief pitcher Jake Liles in the bottom of the fourth.
Lindsborg concluded the game with 16 runs on only six hits, but benefited from four Hillsboro errors. Post 366 scored twice on four hits.
As bad as the first game went, Game 2 was even worse as Post 366 was held hitless in the 19-0 loss.
Lindsborg on the other hand, knocked out 14 base hits off Hughbanks, Daniel Berg and Moore in three innings.
After a scoreless first inning, Lindsborg scored four times in the second inning before exploding for 15 runs in the third inning as 19 batters went the plate.
With the losses, Hillsboro fell to 7-3 for the season.
Said Adams: “I’m looking forward to having them come to Hillsboro next week to see how we do against them.”
Coming-Post 366 travels to Lyons on Tuesday for a pair of games before hosting Lindsborg on Wednesday.
