
A pair of 8th-inning runs pulled the Hoptown Hoppers even with the host Paducah Chiefs on Friday, but a two-out error in the bottom of the 9th sent the Hoppers to their third loss in four outings.
The Chiefs struck first on former Lyon County Lyon and current Murray State second-baseman Gunnar Bingham’s RBI single in the first, and led 3-0 after Kolby Morse tripled to drive in a run.
Hoptown cut the lead to a run with a two-run third, scoring on a wild pitch and Robert Estrada’s run-scoring single. The Hoppers pulled even in the top of the fourth when Dom Oliverio drew a bases-loaded walk.
Carter Hood walked with the bases juiced in the top of the sixth to give the Hoppers their first lead of the night, but Paducah nosed back in front on Gage Griggs’s two-run double of Hoptown starter Brady Ginaven.
Ginaven lasted six innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts before handing off the former Hopkinsville Tiger Jacob Dilday.
The Hoppers tied the game with a pair of runs in the eighth, including an RBI single by Estrada. After allowing the Chiefs to put two on with no outs in the ninth, Dilday exited, bringing Jaxon McTyre out of the bullpen to try to force extra innings.
McTyre got outs on a pop-up and a grounder, but an error on Bingham’s ground ball to second base allowed the winning run to cross the plate.
Dilday took the loss after giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Estrada and Luis Vergara had two hits each to lead the Hoppers.
Former Lyon County hurler Cory Cissell got the start for the Chiefs, going two and two-thirds innings while allowing two earned runs on a hit with four walks and a strikeout.
Bingham finished with two hits and two RBI, Griggs drove in a pair of runs, and Sammy Kestranek was three for five at the plate for Paducah.