It was Christmas in July night at Colonel Field on Wednesday, but the Hopkinsville Hoppers received coal in their stockings in a 7-2 loss to the South division-leading Full Count Rhythm.
The Hoppers collected eleven base hits on the night, including two to lead off the bottom of the first, but they struggled to push runs across throughout and were left empty-handed after their first at-bat.
Hoptown starting pitcher Tyler McLaren was strong through the first four frames, allowing only three hits and issuing two walks, but he was undone by an error in the fifth.
A double-play ball up the middle was instead thrown into right field to put runners on first and third with no outs, signaling the end of McLaren’s night. The first run came across on a ground out and the second on an RBI single by Matthew Batts for a 2-0 Rhythm lead.
After Full Count added a run in the sixth, the Hoppers broke through in the bottom of the inning when Joe Sassi singled to score Landon Choboy.
The teams traded runs in the seventh before the Rhythm added a pair of runs in the top of the night on an RBI double by Zach Boze and a run-scoring single for Carlos Lara.
The Hoppers put runners on first and second with no outs in their final at-bat, but a pop-out and a double play ended the game.
Valek Cisneros took the loss for the Hoppers, coming on for McLaren in the sixth and yielding three earned runs on four hits in two innings of work. He walked three and recorded two strikeouts.
Rhythm starter Nick James earned the win with five and two-thirds innings pitched, allowing an earned run on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
BJ Banyon led the way at the plate with three hits for the Hoppers, followed by Choboy and Marco Romero with two each.
Batts had three hits for the Rhythm and four other players each hit safely twice.
Hoptown now stands as 14-13 and returns to the field on Thursday for a visit from the Dubois County Bombers.
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Love supporting thehoppers.Agreat bunch of guys.