The Hoptown Hoppers returned to Colonel Field Sunday evening looking for a win over the Madisonville Miners. With an explosion of their bats, Hoptown handled Madisonville, 12-7.
Hoptown came out firing when Blake Jackson ripped a 2-run homer out of the park.
Madisonville tried to answer with a run in the second but were out-dueled when Hoptown put up two more.
Malik Blaise singled to score Joe DeFina and Cole Cummings grounded out to score Davis Keller.
The Miners went in to the third hungry and answered the bell, putting up three runs to temporarily tie the game.
DeFina quickly took the lead back for the Hoppers, though, singling to score Jackson.
Leading 5-4, the fourth inning was the calm before the storm for Hoptown.
In the fifth, the Hoppers quickly loaded the bases and Keller drew a walk to score the first run of the inning.
Blaise was then hit by a pitch to score the second run.
In the next at-bat, Cole Cummings ripped a single that scored both DeFina and Keller.
Hoptown’s fifth run of the inning came from Blaise scoring on a wild pitch.
Neither team recorded a hit in the sixth before Hoptown loaded the bases once more in the seventh.
This time, however, Jackson’s walk that drove in Keller was the only run produced.
Madisonville got two back on the board in the eighth but Blaise answered right back with a RBI single to score DeFina.
The Miners scored one more in the ninth before Hassan Westbrook stepped in and recorded the save for Hoptown.
Caldwell County standout and Murray State Racer Shane Burns earned the win, pitching 4.1 innings to fan seven, walk three and allow just one hit.
Colin Casey (4.2 innings, six strikeouts, five walks, eight hits and ten runs) took the loss.
Leading the way for Hoptown was Jackson, going 1-2 at the plate with a HR, three RBI and as many runs scored and walks drawn.
His sixth dinger of the season has him just one shy of a tie for the Ohio Valley League lead.
Keller, going 1-2 as well, drove in three runs and scored as many, too. He also drew three walks.
DeFina went 2-3 to drive in a run but also scored three runs and drew two walks.
Hoptown (12-7) will have an off day on Monday before they head to Henderson (10-10) on Tuesday.
First pitch is set for 7 P.M.
