Wins both games against Marion

By BEN KLEINE

Staff writer

The Hillsboro Senior Babe Ruth team won both games Thursday against Marion in Marion, 19-12 and 11-9.

Hillsboro won the first game despite putting themselves in a 10-1 hole after two innings.

Marion put up five runs in each of the first two innings to end Tyler Ediger’s day on the mound in the middle of the second inning.

“Ediger struggled a little bit,” Hillsboro coach Justin Moore said.

Even after pitching five innings on June 29 and catching the first two innings Thursday, Luke Moore told his coach and brother, Justin Moore, that he wanted the ball. Luke Moore proceeded to pitch the five remaining innings only allowing Marion to score two runs.

“He came in in a tough situation,” Justin Moore said of Luke. “He kept us in the game.”

While Luke Moore stalled the Marion offense, the Hillsboro offense started to chip away at Marion starter Heath Hill.

Derek Kelsey had an RBI double, Devin Funk drove in Kelsey and Ediger with a double of his own, and Cole Svoboda hit a single to drive in Funk to make the score 10-5 Hillsboro.

After a scoreless top half of the fourth inning and allowing Abe Eldridge to score off a Wil Case single, Matt Biehler and Kelsey scored off an error in the top of the fifth inning to make the score 11-7.

Hillsboro scored two more runs in the top of the sixth: Ben Gardner brought in Matt Hiebert with a single and Ediger scored on a passed ball.

Going into the top of the seventh, Hillsboro was down 11-9 and facing Marion closer Case. Funk, Biehler, and Svoboda drew walks to load the bases with no outs.

Luke Moore started a tidal wave of runs with another walk. Matt Hiebert then hit a double to score Svoboda and Biehler. Rustyn Kerbs hit a sacrifice fly to score Luke Moore. An error allowed Hiebert and Kerbs to score.

After two more walks, Tyler Ediger scored on a sacrifice groundball. Devin Funk drew a walk to bring in a run. An error brought in Biehler and Funk to score their second runs in the inning, the ninth and 10th runs for Hillsboro in the frame, and gave Hillsboro a 19-11 advantage they would not relinquish.

Hillsboro won another seesaw game in the nightcap, 11-9. Hillsboro opened a lead 2-0, which later became 5-2. Marion eventually got within a run, 7-6, but Hillsboro scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to stretch the lead to 11-6. Marion scored three more runs but Gardner was able to hold on to the Hillsboro victory in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“It’s a tribute to Marion,” Justin Moore said. “They really came back.”

With the two victories Thursday, Hillsboro ended the regular Babe Ruth season with a 17-2 record. They will play 8:30 p.m. July 9 in Lyons for the start of districts.