The 2022 season for the Hoptown Hoppers very nearly came to an end Saturday night. Very nearly. Luis Vergara-Schoonewolf’s bases-loaded ground-rule double with two outs in the top of the 10th inning carried the Hoppers to a 7-5 road win over the Fulton Railroaders and evened the best-of-three playoff series at one game each, forcing a deciding Game 3 Sunday night in Hopkinsville.
Aaron Moss would shut the Railroaders down in the bottom of the tenth to secure the win. The game would end on a double play.
The dramatic finish in the tenth inning was set up by an equally dramatic ninth inning.
Jacob Dupps hit a one-out two-run homer in the top of the ninth to give the Hoppers a 5-4 lead. Dupps took the first pitch from Jordyn Noranjo and drove it over the left-field fence to put the Hoppers in the lead for the first time in the game.
In the bottom of the 9th, it was the Railroaders who managed to find a way to keep the game going. After Chase Harlan struck out the first two batters, the Railroaders drew three straight walks to load the bases. Brady Holloway then drove in the tying run with an infield single to make it 5-5 and send the game into extra innings.
The Railroaders had gotten off to a quick start in the game, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-0 lead. The big blow in the inning was a two-run homer to right off the bat of Parker Estes.
Hoptown cut into the lead in the very next inning. Drew Donaldson led off the top of the second with a double. Ron Brown then took the second pitch he saw over the right field fence to cut the lead to 3-2.
The score stayed put until the Hoppers came to bat in the top of the fourth inning. Sean Sullivan started the inning with a home run over the right-field fence to even the game up at 3-3.
A Hopper miscue in the bottom of the inning allowed the Railroaders to take the lead right back at 4-3.
From the fifth inning through the eighth inning, it was all about the pitchers.
The Hoppers would come up with only two hits over that four-inning stretch as the Fulton pitching staff shut the Hoptown offense down. The Railroaders were not able to do any better. Fulton was also limited to just two hits over the same four-inning span.
Jacob Dupps had a huge night for the Hoppers going 3-6 with a home run, a double, and 2 RBIs. Sean Sullivan and Anthony Zarlingo each went 2-3 for Hoptown. In addition to Dupps, Ronald Brown and Sean Sullivan also left the yard for the Hoppers.
Aaron Moss pitched the final 1 1/3-innings of the game to pick up the win. He gave up no runs on one hit, striking out one and walking one. Moss, along with Zach Duenas and Chase Harlan, combined to strike out 14 Fulton batters in the contest.
The series returns to Hoptown Sunday night for the deciding third game. First pitch at Hopkinsville High School is set for 7pm.
