The Hoptown Hoppers began the 2019 season playing Madisonville and wrapped up the regular season playing the Miners. Now, the teams will open the Ohio Valley League playoffs Friday night at Hopkinsville High.
Hoptown (25-13) wrapped up their third straight OVL West Division title and have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs thanks to having the league’s best record.
The Hoppers enter the playoffs winners of eight of their last 10 games.
Madisonville (13-26) finished in fourth place in the division with the second-worst record in the league. However, they beat the Hoppers 8-7 on Tuesday.
Hoptown was 3-2 against the Miners this year, winning the first three games by a combined score of 26-11 while dropping the last two games in one-run affairs.
The Hoppers swept the Miners in last year’s playoffs, which is the only time they have met in the postseason. Hoptown is 42-25 all-time against Madisonville.
First pitch Friday is at 7:05. The Hoppers are asking all fans to wear red to the game. All Kleen Services and AKS Flooring are giving free division champion T-shirts to the first 300 paid fans through the gate.
Game two will be Saturday in Madisonville. Game three, if needed, will be Sunday in Hopkinsville.
Paducah and Fulton meet in the other West Division semifinal series. The West Division championship series will begin Monday. The OVL Championship Series will begin Thursday. All series are best-of-three.
Defending OVL champion Owensboro plays Dubois County in one East Division semifinal, while Henderson plays Franklin in the other.