Finding themselves in a big hole from the get-go, the Hoptown Hoppers rallied all night before falling one run short in a 9-8 loss at Madisonville Sunday.
Madisonville scored seven times in the first inning, chasing starter Clay Simpson from the opening frame. However, the Hoppers appeared to be out of the inning with no harm and no runs scored. With the bases loaded, Miner Sam Boese hit a ground ball to Ben Huber at first. Huber came home for the force play, and Hunter Evans threw back to first for an apparent inning-ending double play. The umpire said Evans didn’t touch the plate, allowing a Miner run to score and keeping the inning alive.
Madisonville then made the Hoppers pay with a walk, three singles, and a hit by pitch.
Hoptown got two runs back in the second inning when Seth Bennett doubled and scored ahead of a Charlie Fischer triple. Fischer scored on a groundout to cut the deficit to 7-2.
Jacob Jenkins continued his torrid hitting at the plate. He doubled home Drew McGowan, who had walked, to make the score 7-3. Jenkins had four hits in the game, raising his season average to .452.
Madisonville added some early insurance in the fourth inning when Ben Teel homered to put the Miners up 9-3.
Brant Husser had an RBI single in the sixth inning. Fischer added a sacrifice fly, and Husser doubled home another run in the eighth to make it 9-6. Brendan Nee scored two on an RBI single to cut the Madisonville lead to 9-8.
Jenkins drew a one-out walk in the ninth, but Colton Olasin got the final two outs to record the save and preserve the Miner win.
Bennett and Husser both had two hits for the Hoppers, joining Jacobs’ four-hit night.
Chandler Kendall, Cam Barlow, and Hunter Arnold combined to throw four scoreless innings to keep the Hoppers in the game.
Madisonville snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Hoppers that dated back to last year. They improved to 8-12 and are 5.5 games behind the Hoppers in the OVL West Division.
Hoptown is now 14-7 and three games ahead of both Fulton and Paducah. After playing eight of their last nine games on the road, the Hoppers will play nine of their next ten games at home.
The Hoppers will host Fulton Monday night. It’s Faith and Family Night sponsored by United Southern Bank. There will be free admission.