Hillsboro Babe Ruth opens season 4-0

A little more than a week removed from the Class 3A state baseball playoffs, Hillsboro senior Babe Ruth summer baseball is under way. Even without a practice before the opener against Chase County, Hillsboro started the season 4-0.

Sweeping Chase County 11-8 and 9-6 on Tuesday and Salina LDA 5-1 ad 18-3, Hillsboro features some familiar faces from the state third-place Trojan team as well as players from the area.

Chase County?Adam Matz from Centre started the season?s scoring for Hillsboro, crossing home plate in the top of the second against Chase County June 1 on a run-scoring single by Derek Kelsey.

Hillsboro scored two runs in the third and four in the fourth.

Devin Funk and Jacob Fish scored the runs in the third. Matz, Luke Moore, Kelsey and Matt Martin scored in the fourth.

Chase County rallied in the late innings, scoring two in the fifth, two in the sixth and two in the seventh. But four runs in the sixth from Hillsboro ensured the first Babe Ruth victory.

In the nightcap, Hillsboro jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

After two 1-2-3 innings during Hillsboro at bats, Chase County moved to within 4-3 in the bottom of the third, scoring three runs in the inning.

Scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth and two in the fifth Chase County took a 6-5 lead.

Hillsboro forced Chase County into two three-up, three-down innings in the bottom of the sixth and scored four runs in the top of the seventh.

Aaron Wintermote struck out three straight Chase County batters in the bottom of the seventh to secure the doubleheader sweep.

Salina LDA?Getting its first practice on Wednesday, Hillsboro swept Salina LDA Thursday in a doubleheader.

Allowing four Salina runs all night, Hillsboro won the first game 5-1 and the second game 18-3 in a three-inning run-rule shortened game.

In the first game, Hillsboro scored two runs in the first, and one in the third, fifth and sixth. Salina scored its run in the top of the sixth.

Luke Moore pitched a four-hit one-run complete game, striking out five.

Scoring 11 runs in the bottom of the third, Hillsboro run-ruled Salina with a 15-run lead after three to end the game and complete the sweep. Hillsboro had a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the third.

?We started out great,? said Hillsboro coach Justin Moore. ?Anytime you come out and win four games without practicing, we only had one practice on Wednesday, that says a lot about the guys on the team.?

The Hillsboro senior Babe Ruth team features several members of the high school state baseball team as well as players from Herington, Centre and Peabody-Burns.

Moore is pleased with the team chemistry so far.

?All the guys on the team from Hillsboro are real open to those guys welcoming them in,? he said. ?They?re all playing, they?re all good ball players. It?s not difficult to put them in the game. They all contribute right away.?

Coming? Hillsboro was scheduled for a doubleheader at Abilene Tuesday. Thursday, Hillsboro will travel to Chap?man.

All doubleheaders start at 6 p.m.

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