The Hopkinsville Tigers swept a pair of games at University Heights Academy on Thursday, winning 10-1 and 8-5. The Tigers are now 2-0, while UHA slips to 1-2.
The Tigers used a big seventh inning to close out a 10-1 win in the first game. They scored a run in the second, third and fifth innings, before posting 7 in the final frame. Junior OF/RHP John Duvall singled in 2 runs, junior Robert Justus followed with an RBI single, Duvall scored on a passed ball, and freshman RHP/IF Landon Snyder laid down a sacrifice bunt to make it 8-1. Sophomore UTIL Michael Graham singled to bring in the last 2 runs for the final score of 10-1.
Justus went the distance on the mound for the Tigers, only allowing three hits and 1 run and striking out fourteen. Duvall finished 2-4 with 2 RBI, Graham was 1-3 with a couple of RBI, and senior UTIL Dalton Bearns went 2-2 and scored 3 runs.
Freshman Luke Welch was the starter for the Blazers, going 4.2 innings and allowing six hits and 3 runs (1ER). He had nine strikeouts and walked two. Sophomore Scribby Goode pitched the rest of the way, only allowing three hits, but walking five and giving up 7 ER. Junior Drew McGowan was 2-3 at the plate for the Blazers, knocking in their run in the sixth inning.
In the second game, Hopkinsville took advantage of three first-inning errors by the Blazers to open up a 5-0 lead after two innings. UHA responded with 2 runs in the third, but wouldn’t get any closer the rest of the way. The teams traded runs in the fourth and fifth innings, and each scored 2 in the sixth for the final 8-5 score.
McGowan finished 2-3 with an RBI, and junior Daniel Johnson went 2-4 with 2 RBI. Johnson took the loss for the Blazers, going 5.2 innings and surrendering ten hits and 8 runs (3ER), with four strikeouts and a walk.
Graham had three hits for the Tigers, scoring 3 times and stealing two bases. Sophomore SS/RHP Layne Jorgensen was 2-4 with 3 RBI. Freshman RHP Zach Caudill earned the win, allowing 4 hits and 3 runs (0ER) with eleven strikeouts and one walk. Junior 1B/RHP Aaron Crosby pitched the last two, giving up one hit and 2 ER with three strikeouts and four walks.
Both teams are back in action on Tuesday, with Hopkinsville welcoming Muhlenberg County and UHA hosting McLean County.
