Herington sweeps Post 366 years ago
Hillsboro American Legion baseball team drops two
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
With three players back from Hillsboro High School's state qualifying team from a year ago, there is reason to be optimistic about what the 2004 season could hold for the Hillsboro American Legion Post 366 team.
However, someone forgot to tell host team Herington when the two teams met June 3.
The return of Steve Chisholm, Shawn Hughbanks, and Dustin Jost meant little as Herington dealt 366 its first sweep of the season in convincing fashion, 7-1 and 10-0.
Hillsboro breaks even at 2-2 on the year, and coach Lyman Adams better find a way to stoke up 366's hitting in a hurry with games against Haven and Herington on the horizon.
After combining for 16 hits in an opening sweep of Council Grove, Post 366 was limited to a quartet of hits in each game against a tough throwing Herington team.
One of Marion's best pitchers in the school's short baseball history, Mitch Enos, had the game break loose in the opener's first inning, surrendering three runs.
Hillsboro couldn't jeopardize the Herington lead. So sparse was 366's hitting, only the Hughbanks brothers Shawn and Chad, and Michael Bookless got hits, highlighted by Shawn's double in the seventh.
Bookless' two-out single in the top of the seventh to score Shawn was Hillsboro's only run of the night.
Enos fanned 11 batters, walked three and fired a four-hitter in defeat.
It was Jimmy Shipman's turn in the nightcap to let the game slip away in the first inning as Herington erupted for four runs from two hits.
Up 5-0 to close out the bottom of the third, Herington put three more up in the bottom of the fourth with two coming off a three-base hit to knock out Shipman.
In four and one-third innings, Herington roughed up Shipman for nine hits and all 10 runs.
Post 366 traveled Tuesday night to Haven before getting a rematch tonight in Hillsboro against Herington at Tabor Field.
Game times tonight are slated for 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Council Grove
The season got off to a good start June 1 in Hillsboro with an 11-6 and 8-6 disposal of Council Grove.
Caleb Marsh went deep for a two-run blast in the early game's first inning as 366 exploded for five runs and Council Grove never threatened.
Marsh went 2-for-3 with a game high three RBIs.
Shawn was 3-for-4 with two runs and Adam Scheele also was 2-for-3.
Chisholm fired a six-hitter for the win with Jost being awarded the save.
Hillsboro had to work its way out of 1-0 jam in the finale after the top half of the second.
A two-out rally in the bottom of the third gave Hillsboro the lead for good with five runs.
Hillsboro added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth before Council Grove cut the lead to 7-5 in the sixth.
Clayton Garnica picked up the win with Jost earning his second save of the night.
