Josh Seiler’s two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning lifted the Full Count Rhythm to a 5-4 win over the Hoptown Hoppers Monday night at Colonel Field.
The loss was a gut punch for the Hoppers, who want to climb out of fifth place in the Ohio Valley League South standings and move out of a postseason play-in game. The OVL postseason structure sees the fourth, fifth, and sixth teams play a one-game ‘win-or-go-home’ contest to advance into a best-of-three series.
The Hoppers entered play one game out of third place, but the loss drops them two games behind third-place Fulton, who beat Muhlenberg County 5-0 Monday, and one game behind Clarksville.
Full Count plated single runs in the second, third, and fifth innings before the Hoppers tied the game with three runs in the home half of the fifth.
With two outs, Sam Perkins singled home Stephen Bell who walked. Luis Vergara followed with a two-run double.
Hoptown took the lead in the sixth inning when Carter Hood walked and later scored on a wild pitch.
After Full Count grabbed the lead in the ninth, their attempt to add an insurance run was thwarted when Reece Holbrook doubled and Seiler was cut down by Tate VanHooser trying to score.
Hoptown put the tying and winning run into scoring position in the bottom of the ninth. Vergara walked and VanHooser reached on an infield single. An error moved them up 90 feet but a ground out ended the threat and the game.
Holbrook had three hits, including a pair of doubles for the Rhythm, who banged out 14 hits.
Seven players had hits for the Hoppers.
Hoptown will host fourth-place Clarksville Tuesday night at Colonel Field.
