With its season on the line, the Hopkinsville High School baseball team turned to its pair of Div. I college commits to keep it alive. And the duo more than delivered. Zach Moss (Kentucky) homered, JJ Thompson (Wright State) struck out 11, and the second-seeded Tigers defeated crosstown rival Christian County, 8-1, in an 8th District Tournament semifinal Monday at CCHS.
Hoptown (19-8) advances to take on top seed University Heights Academy (22-11) in Tuesday’s final. HHS and UHA have not met for a district championship in over 25 years. The Blazers swept a May 2 doubleheader against the Tigers earlier this season. This is the first year the Colonels won’t play for a district championship since 2001.
During Monday’s affair, after Thompson singled to start the game, Moss launched a fly ball over the fence in left field to abruptly give Hopkinsville a 2-0 lead in the first inning. It was the first home run of the year for Moss, who raised his batting average just over .400 for the season, and ultimately proved to be the game-winner.
The host Colonels, who were looking to shake off three straight losses to end the regular season, and reach their 23rd straight 8th District title game, cut into the Hoptown lead after Gage Montes reached on an error and scored on a passed ball to pull County within 2-1 in the bottom of the first, but that’s all the Cols would be able to muster.
Thompson took over the rest of the way and was virtually untouchable during the final six innings. Christian County did get a lead-off single from Jacob Jenkins to begin the seventh inning, but Thompson proceeded to retire the next three batters he faced, including the final two via strikeout, to end the complete-game victory and the Colonels’ district tournament streak.
With his 11 K’s on Monday, Thompson (6-1) now has 118 for the season, which is second most in the state. Against County, the lanky lefty gave up three hits, including a double to Aiden Lewis, and walked four. The Hoptown defense turned a clutch, inning-ending double play in the second to back up its starter.
Offensively, Dylan Sweeney also played a big role in helping HHS build its lead. The freshman gave Hoptown a 4-1 advantage with a two-run single in the fourth and made it 5-1 with a run-scoring single in the sixth. Sweeney ultimately finished 2-for-4 with a run, a stolen base and three RBIs.
Moss (2-for-3, two runs, two RBIs), Lucas Kaetzel (2-for-3, two RBIs, double) and Chase Fort (1-for-3, RBI) also had big nights for the Tigers, who will be trying for their first district title since 2021.
For Christian County, a squad that overcame injuries and adversity to finish 12-20 in 2024, the final game of the season was led by Lewis and seniors Jenkins and Carter Sholar, who accounted for the three CCHS hits. Lewis (2-6) took the loss after allowing eight hits, four walks and six runs in 5 1/3 innings. He also fanned five. Eddie Davis struck out a pair and allowed two unearned runs in the final 1 2/3 innings of relief.
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So proud of my grandson and the whole team. They are fun to watch.