JJ Thompson could’ve changed his name to JK Thompson on Thursday, but he wasn’t kidding around. The Hopkinsville High School southpaw fanned all but five of the 17 batters he faced and K’d a total of 12 during just five innings, leading the Tigers to a 5-2 home win over Madisonville-North Hopkins.
Thompson, who struck out the first Maroon of the game on three pitches, was utterly dominant in a matchup of 2nd Region rivals. He allowed just one hit and walked one to earn the first victory of his Hoptown career.
Hopkinsville, which has now won two games in a row, played small ball to scratch across a run in the second inning, two in the third, one in the fourth and another in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead. Madisonville pushed across a pair of runs on a bases-loaded walk and two-out balk in the sixth, but that’s all it could muster in the Maroons’ seventh straight loss to begin the season.
It was all about manufacturing runs for HHS, which was held to just three hits in the game, to take the lead in the bottom of the second, as Lucas Kaetzel and Chase Fort laid down consecutive bunts to bring home Gavin Powell for an early 1-0 advantage.
Zach Moss was hit by a pitch to start the inning, took second on a Thomas Hallmark single, stole third base, and scored on a Powell groundout to put Hopkinsville ahead 2-0. With the bases jammed, Fort later drew a walk to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. Thompson later helped his own cause with a lead-off double and by scoring on a Moss sacrifice fly; Kaetzel scored to round out the scoring on a Christopher Medina fielder’s choice groundout.
Thompson was lifted after 67 pitches and was relieved by Hallmark, who induced a groundout on two pitches to start the top of the sixth. The Maroons attempted to rally, though, by drawing two walks and two HBP to get on the board, and got within 5-2 on a balk, but Hallmark managed to stop any bleeding by striking out Xzavier Martin and then got Eric Farmer to ground out to end the frame. Andrew Mayes struck out a batter and was perfect in 2/3 innings to close out the contest and pick up his first save of 2023.
Neither Hopkinsville relief pitcher allowed a hit. The lone MNHHS tally in that regard was a Matthew Yates single in the third, but he was caught stealing. Martin made his first start of the season for the Maroons. He struck out a pair but was responsible for one hit, three walks and three runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Pending inclement weather, Hoptown (2-2) is scheduled to return to the diamond at 6 pm. Friday at Caldwell County. Madisonville (0-7) will try for its first victory when it hosts McLean County at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
