The Hoptown Hoppers ran out onto their home field at Hopkinsville High School for the first time this summer on Sunday, but the visiting Madisonville Miners spoiled the occasion with a 4-1 victory to hand the Hoppers their second loss to start the season.
The Miners took the lead in the top of the third, loading the bases on a pair of singles and a Hopper error ahead of Preston Bedford’s ground out to bring in a run. With two out and runners on second and third, a wild pitch allowed the second run to come home.
Gavin Lake led off the bottom of the third with a single for the Hoppers’ first hit of the game, part of a three-hit day for the Hoptown left-fielder. But after Lake was stranded at third base, the Miners pushed two more runs across in their next at-bat on an RBI single by Mason Pangborn and another run on one of four Hopper errors.
Lake’s one-out double put a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth and John Kiebler delivered a two-out single to plate the Hoppers’ only run of the game.
Hoptown threatened for the final time in the eighth, taking advantage of two walks and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases with two outs. However, Luke Connors, the Miners’ third pitcher of the night, got a strikeout to end the inning.
Corbin Gillentine earned the win on the mound for the Miners, allowing a single earned run on four hits with a walk and a strikeout over six innings.
Bedford and Brandon Gibson each had two hits for Madisonville, and Pangborn and Pete Britton drove in runs.
Brayden Eftink took the loss for the Hoppers, allowing four runs, only one earned, on six hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.
Hoptown will be back at Hopkinsville High on Monday to host the Paducah Chiefs.
