Offensively challenged Trojans salvage split
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports Writer
It's hard not to feel bad for Trojan baseball coach Phil Oelke these days.
It's bad enough that Old Man Winter has been hanging around, forcing Hillsboro to postpone three out of its five games as of this week.
But along with the frigid weather, the Trojans' bats also have been unseasonably cold.
"With the way we're hitting the ball, we're going to have a hard time beating anybody," Oelke said after the Trojans split a doubleheader with Smoky Valley this past Thursday.
"Not being able to play certainly hasn't helped us."
Weather permitting, the Trojans were able to play Tuesday at Hoisington, and will host Sedgwick at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
The Trojans were able to play last week because, with a blizzard forecast for Friday, the Trojans invited Smoky Valley Vikings to play their double-header on Thursday in Hillsboro.
In the first game, Hillsboro rallied from behind for a 7-4
win, its first of the season against three losses.
But the 8-5 loss in the second game must have been painful for Oelke. Not only did the Trojans surrender eight unanswered runs, but Hillsboro had the tying runs at the plate on two occasions, but was unable to get the bats on the ball.
"We're going to have to get more people to step up besides Lucas [Hamm], and [Alex] Nuss," Oelke said. "Those guys are tearing it up, but our six- through nine-hole hitters were a combined three-for-23 Thursday, and you can't win with that.
"And we either walked or hit 16 of 23 batters."
Looking ahead, Hillsboro will travel for a 3 p.m. make-up game Monday at Wichita Collegiate.
While little is known about Sedgwick, Collegiate's pitching has always been stout, and first-year coach Trent Nesmith formerly coached at Butler County Community College.
