A four-run first inning powered the Hoptown Hoppers to a 5-1 victory at Dubois County on Wednesday, but the hits dried up in a 2-0 defeat in the nightcap of a doubleheader.
Hoptown loaded the bases with no outs in its first at-bat of the evening and pushed runs across on a hit-by-pitch and a walk. Two more crossed the plate on a wild pitch and a Bomber error to hand Hopper’s starter Myles Green a 4-0 lead when he took the mound in the bottom of the inning.
That was all the support Green would need. He allowed a single run over five frames, giving up six hits with a walk and three strikeouts to earn the victory.
Hoptown added the final run on Luis Vergara’s RBI single in the fourth. Vergara and Sam Perkins each had two hits, and Carter Hood collected an RBI for the Hoppers.
Anthony Jerrell took the loss on the mound for the Bombers, surrendering four runs, three earned, on a hit with a pair of walks and two strikeouts.
Kaden Hurless finished with two hits for the Bombers.
Dubois County shut down the Hoppers in the second matchup behind a strong outing from starter Bobby Fowler. He scattered three hits with three walks and four strikeouts over five shutout innings to earn the win.
Dylan Eaton took the loss for Hoptown despite allowing no hits and a single unearned run over two frames. Chase Gruno worked three innings of relief for the Hoppers, giving up a run on two hits with four strikeouts, and Cody Jones allowed a hit in a scoreless seventh.
The Bombers opened the scoring on a passed ball in the bottom of the second and added the final run in the fifth on Drew Howard’s two-out RBI single.
