The Hoptown Hoppers used a four-run third inning to take a lead they would never give up Wednesday night as they rode solid pitching to a 5-2 win over the Henderson Flash. The win pushed the Hoppers back above the .500 mark for the season.
It was the Flash that broke the ice in the game. Henderson got an RBI single from Nick Rucker in the top of the first inning to go up 1-0.
That lead would hold until the bottom of the third. After a Henderson error, the Hoppers got back-to-back doubles from Jake Parr and Tanner Holliman to go up 2-1. Jojo Cruz would add an RBI on a ground out to make it 3-1. The Hoppers closed out their scoring in the inning when they scored a run on a Henderson balk to make it 4-1.
Henderson trimmed the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fourth when Cody Schultz connected on an RBI double.
The Hoppers quickly got that run back in the bottom half of the inning when Nico Montes scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch to make it 5-2.
From there on, pitchers were in charge of the game.
From the 5th inning on, Henderson would come up with just three hits, while the Hoppers could muster only one. Hoptown would score their five runs on five hits for the game, while Henderson scored their two runs on six hits. Each team was charged with two errors in the contest.
Jake Parr, Tanner Holliman, Zayd Brannigan, Jojo Cruz, and B.J. Banyon, each had one hit for the Hoppers. Parr, Holliman, and Cruz were credited with RBIs.
Colby Downard picked up the win for the Hoppers in relief. He went three innings, giving up no runs on two hits, striking out six while walking two. Chase Gruno pitched the 9th inning to pick up the save.
With the win, the Hoppers improve to 3-2 on the season, while the Flash falls to 2-2.
