The Chillicothe Hornets baseball team has played exceptionally through the initial stages of the year. The Hornets picked up an extra innings win on the opening day at Marshall, added a win against Tipton and then won at Green City on Tuesday to start the season 3-0. Chillicothe then traveled to Lawson on Wednesday to take on another 3-0 team, the Lawson Cardinals in their home opener.
Lawson generated the opening runs of the game from their first two leadoff batters, who delivered base hits, and were later batted home in the bottom of the first inning. The Hornets got on the scoreboard in the 2nd inning but Lawson maintained a two run advantage after adding another later in the frame.
The Hornets closed the deficit to one run again in the 4th inning on a Howie Donoho hit to score Cooper Robinson. However Lawson’s top of the order came through again, adding two more runs, and the Hornets trailed 5-2 through four innings.
The score remained the same through the next two innings, and Chillicothe’s defense performed well against Lawson, holding the Cardinals to their fewest runs so far this year. Chillicothe used four different pitchers in the game, starting with Christian Still, then going with Koby Wagers, Noah Rinehart and finishing with Howie Donoho.
Chillicothe maintained striking distance and then made a final stand in the 7th. Sammy Rodenberg and Hubby Ralls both advanced on base after being walked, when Donoho blasted a deep shot into left center field with two outs, scoring two runs on the double and drawing Chillicothe just one run behind. Donoho advanced to 3rd, and the Hornets had runners on the corners, when Lawson forced Chillicothe into a fly out to end the game.
The Hornets valiant comeback fell just short as Lawson improved to 4-0 on the year after the 5-4 victory and Chillicothe is now 3-1. Coach Figg and the Hornets will be back in action Saturday in the West Platte Tournament.