For the second time in less than 24 hours Saturday, the Hopkinsville Tigers saw one get away from them. Hoptown had the tying and winning runs both in scoring position with one out in the top of the 7th inning but could not get either run across as they dropped a 3-2 decision on the road at Clarksville High School.
The Tigers were unable to take advantage of a good day on the mound from Jacob Dilday, who gave up just one earned run over six innings of work.
The two teams battled through a scoreless tie until the top of the 4th inning. Hopkinsville then got a hit batter, a walk, and a single from Landon Cook to load the bases with nobody out, and it looked like the Tigers were ready for a big inning.
But a double-play ball, followed by a ground out, allowed Clarksville to get out of the inning with the minimal damage of a single run and Hopkinsville taking a 1-0 lead, which Clarksville quickly wiped out.
A couple of Hopkinsville fielding miscues would then turn the course of the game.
Clarksville started the bottom half of the inning with a Tiger error and a walk. That was followed by a ground out and a double, which put Hoptown down 2-1. Another error and a walk in the fifth inning enabled Clarksville to add an insurance run, which would turn out to be huge in the game.
Going into the top of the 7th, the Tigers still trailed Clarksville 3-1. Mason Spain was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Christopher Medina then walked to put runners at first and second with no outs. Kaden West then bunted the runners over to second and third with just one out. Jacob Dilday singled to drive in Medina and would advance to second base on the throw back in from the outfield, and now the lead was down to 3-2, with the tying run on third and the winning run on second, and still just one out. And, the Tigers had two “big” bats coming up.
But those runners would stay in “scoring position.” Preston Chaudoin struck out for the second out of the inning. Zach Moss then popped up in foul ground to end the game.
The Tigers were held to three hits on the day. Dilday, Moss, and Cook had one hit each. Dilday also got credit for an RBI.
Dilday went six innings on the mound, giving up three runs, only one of them earned, striking out six while walking four.
The loss drops the Tigers to 6-10 for the season. They are scheduled to travel to Fort Campbell on Tuesday.
