The Chillicothe Hornets baseball team played Savannah in the Class 4 District 16 semifinals from Missouri Western State University on Tuesday in St. Joseph. The Chillicothe Hornets entered as the 2 seed at 19-9, Savannah came into the contest at 21-11 as the 3 seed. Chillicothe won the previous two matchups this season, including the conference game on the road last week which clinched the MEC championship.
Savannah got off to a strong start with back to back singles from Jake and Eli Bodenhausen. Mason Waitkoss capitalized on that with a single into left center field, scoring both base runners. Howie Donoho drew the start on the mound for Chillicothe, starting slow, allowing hits to four of the first five batters, but finished the inning nicely converting a pair of strikeouts.
With one out in the bottom of the first, Noah Rinehart got the Hornets offense going with a double into left field. Cooper Helton batted Rinehart home later in the inning, then Chillicothe tied the game up with a bases loaded walk by Savages pitcher Braylon Ellis.
Both pitchers found their grove, posting scoreless innings in the 2nd and 3rd. With the score still tied in the bottom of the 4th at 2-2 Rinehart’s sacrifice fly scored a run for Chillicothe to give the Hornets the lead, later in the inning Helton blasted a double into center field scoring two more for the Hornets. Savannah brought reliever Parker Lytton into the game to close out the 4th inning with Chillicothe ahead 5-2. Donoho remained on the mound in the 5th for the Hornets adding one more strikeout to finish with 8 in five innings pitched while allowing just two runs on five hits.
In the bottom of the 6th, the Hornets added to the lead against Jagger Jackson who pitched the 6th inning for Savannah. Chillicothe scored Dane Ireland on a wild pitch then tacked on one more to lead 7-2 entering the final frame.
Ireland was also tasked with closing out the game on the mound and stepped up, striking out five batters while not allowing a hit in the final two innings to seal the 7-2 victory for Chillicothe.
The Hornets improve to 20-9 on the season and advance to the district championship game on Thursday where they will meet top seeded Benton.