Hoptown used a five-run fourth inning to back the pitching of Drew McGowan in picking up a 10-4 win over Paducah Monday in the first game of the Ohio Valley League West Division Championship Series.
Hoptown banged out 12 hits in the contest and used aggressive baserunning to steal 11 bases. Brant Husser stole three bases and had three hits for the Hoppers. Michael Conn added two hits and stole two bases.
Down 1-0 in the fourth inning, Charlie Fischer tied the game with a double to centerfield. Husser, Michael Conn, and Hunter Evans followed with RBI hits.
Paducah added two runs in the fifth inning, one coming on a long home run by Alan Roden, who had three hits in the game.
Hoptown got a run back in the home half of the sixth inning on a Cade Burkey RBI double. The Hoppers put the game out of reach with three runs in the seventh inning and a run in the eighth.
Evans was 3-for-4 with three RBIs – one of four Hoppers with multiple hits.
McGowan moved to 3-1 on the season with seven strong innings of work. He walked four and allowed six hits but pitched in and out of trouble all night. He struck out five and gave up three earned runs.
Hoptown moved to 3-0 all-time against Paducah in the playoffs. The Hoppers can clinch the best-of-three series Tuesday when they travel to Paducah for Game 2.