By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Baseball: Tigers sweep Necedah, get swept by New Lisbon
Hillsboro is now 48 entering the regular season stretch run
Placeholder Image

NECEDAH — Thursday afternoon Bob Bothe’s Hillsboro baseball team took a pair of five-innings games from host Necedah to earn its third and fourth victories of the season.

Behind a great individual pitching effort from junior Grant Jefferies, the Tigers won the opener 2–1.

Jefferies allowed just one unearned run on one hit while striking out seven in the five-inning complete game.

Freshman Joey Helgerson lead off the fifth with a single and moved to second on a past ball.

Junior Brandon Stanek walked with one out. Tommy Crandall pinch hit with two outs and dropped a single into  left field, scoring Helgerson.

Junior Matt Anderson followed with a single to right and Stanek scored on a crafty slide past the catcher, avoiding the tag to take the lead.

Hillsboro won game two 5–4 on freshman Hunter Stanek’s walk-off RBI single.

After getting out to an early lead and then surrendering the game-tying run in the top of the fourth, Hillsboro rallied for victory in the final inning.

Freshman Tyler Crandall drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth and was sacrificed to second by sophomore Matt Stekel.

An error allowed the inning to extend bringing freshman Hunter Stanek to the plate with two outs. Stanek roped a two-strike base hit into the left field gap for the game-winner.

“It was exciting to get two wins in a doubleheader for a change,” said Bothe. “I think the guys were a little relieved to play well and get two wins to show for it.”

Saturday, Andrew Lockington’s two-run walk-off single lifted Bangor to an 8–7 come from behind victory in the conclusion of a game that originally began Monday, May 6.

Hillsboro led 5–0 after plating three runs in the top of the fifth inning, surrendered four in the fifth and two in the sixth as the Cardinals tied the game at 6–6.

The Tigers regained the lead with a run in the top of the seventh, but Lockington’s two-run single off Hillsboro reliever Chucky Strait ended the game.

“We had two chances to win this game on double plays,” said Bothe. “We simply dropped a line drive that would have produced two outs. We also had a hard hit ground ball near second that didn’t produce two outs.

“This was a tough loss. We outhit Bangor and outplayed them for five innings.”

Monday, Hillsboro was on the wrong end of a Scenic Bluffs doubleheader sweep, losing twice at New Lisbon 13–1 in five innings and 5–2.

Cullen Pederson allowed just one Hillsboro run on four hits while striking out four. He also went 2-for-2 with two walks and scored four runs.

“Everything that could go wrong for Hillsboro did,” said Bothe. “New Lisbon was very aggressive on the basepaths and created havoc for our defense.”

The host Rockets scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning and cruised to a 5–2 victory in game two.

“We are pressing a little bit,” said Bothe. “I think the amount of doubleheaders has really caught up to us mentally and physically at the plate and on defense.”

Hillsboro is 4–8 overall and 4–8 in the Scenic Bluffs after Monday.

The Tigers were set to play at Royall Tuesday before hosting Wonewoc–Center to close out SBC play on Wednesday. Hillsboro will close out the regular season Monday with a non-conference game at Westby.