The Hoptown Hoppers used six runs over the final two frames to turn a tight game into a 14-7 victory over the host Louisville Jockeys on Monday. The win is the second in three tries for the Hoppers, leaving them at 10-12 and in 4th-place in the OVL South division.
RBI singles by Hunter Hyden and Anthony Zarlingo highlighted a five-run Hopper 2nd, and they added a run in the 5th on Ron Brown’s sacrifice fly.
The Jockeys loaded the bases on an error, a single, and a walk to chase Hoptown starting pitcher Luke Grenier with no outs in the 5th. Jacob Dilday came on in relief, but a fielder’s choice, an RBI single, and Jaret Humphrey’s two-run home run cut the Hopper lead to 6-5.
Zarlingo’s RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Josh Rodriguez added two runs to the Hopper cushion in the top of the 8th. However, Louisville’s Humphrey hit his second homer of the night for a 10-7 score with an inning to play.
A two-out rally in the 9th produced the final four runs for the Hoppers. Rodriguez doubled in two, and Luis Vergara-Schoonewolf added an RBI single.
Grenier worked the first four frames for Hoptown, allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Dilday pitched three innings, surrendering three earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts.
Zarlingo finished with three hits and three RBI, Rodriguez had two hits and drove in four runs, and Smith hit his way on three times.
Humphrey did his best to keep the Jockeys in the game with two home runs and four RBI. Carson Boles had three hits and drove in a run.
The Hoppers welcome the Madisonville Miners to Tiger Field on Tuesday. Madisonville knocked off Muhlenberg County on Sunday and is currently 3rd in the North division.
