Hillsboro wins 3, now 10-2

LP366bbStepanekP6140001.jpg
LP366bbStepanekP6140001.jpg
Aaron Stepanek dives back into first base ahead of a pickoff attempt and inadvertantly touches off a dust storm in the first inning of a 6-4 victory over Abilene. Stepanek was safe, then went on to steal second base and came around to score on a triple by Travis Riesen. Click image to enlarge.

Hillsboro Legion Post 366 won three of four games last week to raise its season record to 10-2.

On Tuesday, Post 366 lost the first game of a doubleheader with Moundridge, 5-3, but rallied in Game 2 for a 5-1 win.

Two days later, Post 366 won both games at Abilene, 6-4 and 6-3.

Abilene?Hillsboro took a 2-0 lead in the opening inning when Aaron Stepanek led off a single and stole second. Daniel Jost moved him to third, and Stepanek scored the game?s first run on a triple by Travis Riesen, who scored on a passed ball.

Jost stayed perfect on the mound through the bottom of the second. In the top of the third, he drove in Stepanek, who had drawn a two-out walk and stole second.

In the bottom of the inning, Abilene cashed in a walk and an error for two runs.

In Hillsboro?s next at-bat, Alfonse Klenda led off with a double and scored on a passed ball for a 4-2 fourth.

In the home half of the fourth, the bottom of the Abilene order drew two one-out walks. A single advanced the runners to second and third, and both runners scored on a double. Jost escaped more damage by coaxing a pair of pop-ups to keep the score tied, 4-4.

After a 1-2-3 fifth inning, the play of the game came in the bottom of the sixth.

With two outs and a runner at third base, Abilene?s lead-off hitter launched a fly ball deep into the right-center gap. But rightfielder Tyler Ediger ran it down to preserve the tie.

Ediger flied out to start the seventh, Jacob Fish and Jake Liles managed consecutive hits.

Dustin Strunk advanced the runners by lashing a grounder down the line that seemed destined to become an extra-base hit. But Abilene?s first baseman dove to his left, snared the ball and tagged the bag for the second out.

With runners on second and third, Jacob Edwards legged out an infield hit to advance the runners.

A double-steal scored Liles from third, and Post 366 led 6-4.

Jost shut Abilene down in order in the bottom of the seventh, finishing with seven strikeouts for the complete-game victory.

In Game 2, Stepanek led off with a walk, swiped second and advanced on a hit-and-run infield single by Jost, who advanced to second on a passed ball. A wild pitch gave Hillsboro a 1-0 lead.

It might have been worse for Abilene had two plays at the plate gone differently. Jost was called out at home on a fielder?s choice ground ball to third despite a near-perfect slide. The inning ended when Riesen was called out trying to score on a passed ball.

Abilene scored twice in the bottom half for a 2-1 lead, but Post 366 knotted it with a run in the second.

Abilene then self-destructed and Hillsboro broke the game open with three runs in the third.

Stepanek led off with strikeout, but a passed ball had him standing at first. He stole second on the next pitch, and then Jost walked. Riesen was hit by the next pitch, loading the bases for Ediger.

Stepanek scored on a passed ball, and Ediger grounded into a fielder?s choice that scored Jost from third.

Fish reached on an error that brought Riesen in, making it 5-2.

Each team added a run in the fourth, and the score was 6-3 when the umpires called the game?s time limit.

Pitcher Strunk struck out three in four innings of work.

Moundridge?In Game 1 Hillsboro carried a 3-2 lead into the fifth inning after a two-run single by Alfonse Klenda in the fourth.

Tyler Suderman led off the Moundridge fifth with a solo home run. Suderman struck again in the sixth when, with the bases loaded, he smacked a two-run single for a 5-3 lead.

Post 366 put runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom half, but could not get the clutch hit.

Suderman struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh and finished with 13 strikeouts.

Isaac Leihy threw seven innings and struck out five.

Travis Riesen was on the hill for Game 2 and did not allow a run until the top of the sixth.

Post 366 went down in order in the bottom of the first inning, but took a 2-0 lead in the second.

Daniel Jost was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a passed ball. Jake Liles was hit by a pitch and Tyler Ediger followed with a single to score Jost from second and send Liles to third. Liles scored on a passed ball.

Hillsboro extended the margin to 3-0 in the third, with Jacob Edwards scoring on a single by Aaron Stepanek.

Post 366 tacked on one more run in the fourth and another in the sixth to provide the final score.

Riesen allowed two hits and five walks in six innings, but also notched eight strikeouts.

Coming?Post 366 was scheduled to play road games on Tuesday at Chase County and will play at Peabody on Thursday.

Results for Tuesday?s game were not available at press time.

Both games start at 6 p.m.

Post 366 has two home dates left: June 26 against Herington and July 2 against Hesston.

Hillsboro?s road rematch at Moundridge is slated for June 28.

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