The Hoptown Hoppers were undone by a late 2-run home run in a 3-2 loss in the opener to the visiting Dubois County Bombers on Tuesday night, before falling behind 6-0 in the first inning on the way to a lopsided 11-0 loss in the nightcap. The Hoppers lose their third-straight to stand at 14-9 overall with a visit from the Henderson Flash scheduled for Wednesday night at Tiger Field.
In the opener, the teams traded runs in the first inning, with the Hoppers tying the game on a single by Jacob Jenkins that brought home Santrel Farmer. Farmer was back at it again in the third, leading-off the inning with a solo home run over the left-field fence for a 2-1 Hoppers’ lead.
Hoptown starting pitcher Cam Barlow scattered four hits over the first five frames, but after yielding a single to start the sixth, Dubois County’s Chase Hug connected on the first pitch of the at-bat for a 2-run shot and a 3-2 Bombers’ advantage. Barlow struck-out eight and didn’t issue a walk.
Patrick Queener went the distance on the mound for the win, allowing 2 earned runs on five hits, with eight strikeouts. Tyler Best and Matt Ellis each had a couple of hits for the Bombers.
The Hoppers never got going in the second game, with starting pitcher Jacob Lents lasting only one and a third innings while allowing 6 runs on a couple of hits with six walks. Drew McGowan pitched one and a third, followed by an inning each from Jacob Jenkins, Micah Genter, Michael Conn and Clay Simpson.
The Bombers added a couple of runs in the third and 3 in the fourth for the final score. Austin Duffy and Easton Stewart each drove-in 2, while Hug finished 2-4. Devin Morris held the Hoppers to four hits over five innings with a walk and nine strikeouts for the win. Andrew Schimmoler worked the sixth and seventh, walking one and striking-out a couple.