Post 366 snaps eight-game losing streak against Peabody years ago
Hillsboro American Legion baseball team sweeps short-handed Peabody
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
There was no way the Hillsboro Post 366 baseball team would let this one get away this time.
The 2005 season got off to a rough start with 366 blowing leads at Peabody.
Since then, there have been several games that were within 366's grasp, only to slip away.
That was likely in the back of 366's minds Thursday night in Hillsboro in the rematch against shorthanded Peabody.
For one of the few times this year, Hillsboro (2-8) actually grabbed a lead it could build on instead of giving back, crushing Peabody, 15-2, and 14-5 for its first two wins of the season.
Peabody had just played the night before against Hesston, leaving it one player short in the first game against Hillsboro.
Five straight walks, Peabody spotted Hillsboro its first of five first-inning runs on free passes with the bases still loaded.
By the end of the first game, 366 had pounded out nine hits while getting handed 10 walks.
After a pitching change, Peabody surrendered a pair of sacrifice flies to Derek Hamm and Alfonse Klenda to make it 5-0 game closing out the first.
Post 366 put two more runs up in the bottom of the second with Clayton Garnica driving in Tyler Goldsby with a single and a Kyle Jilka triple.
But Peabody broke up the shutout in the top of the third, swiping two runs off sacrifice flies.
Too bad 366 hasn't been able to put more innings together like it did in the bottom of the third, putting the game on ice.
Chad Hughbanks drove in two runs while Aaron Stepanek, Jilka, Goldsby, and Jared Fish supplied one a piece for a commanding 14-2 lead.
Goldsby drove in the 15th and final run with a single to give Jilka the win on the mound, hurling a three-hitter in four innings.
The nightcap began like the opener with 366 getting a quick start in the bottom of the first inning, racing to a 4-0 lead off three hits to rough up Peabody's Todd Woodruff.
Peabody sliced the lead in two in its half of the second with Derek Hamm surrendering giving up a pair of run-scoring singles.
Post 366's half of the second proved to be another big inning with 366 jumping out to an 8-2 lead with Hughbanks and Hamm each driving in runs off singles.
Hillsboro's lead stretched to 11-3 in the fourth with Garnica scoring Justin Moore, who was walked.
Post 366 put the game away in the bottom of the fifth with Goldsby and Jilka singling, and Michael Bookless picking up a double for the 14-5 final.
Hamm picked up the win for 366, tossing a four-hitter through three innings while the Hillsboro offense broke loose for 15 hits.
Post 366 got another pair of heartbreaking defeats two days earlier at McPherson, 5-1 and 7-6 with 366 blowing a 3-0 lead in the nightcap.
Up next for Post 366 is the 6 p.m. rematch in Hillsboro against McPherson.
Hillsboro was also in action Tuesday when it hosted Lyons. Results were unavailable at time of publication.
