Sam Perkins and Brayden Blevins each had two hits and the bullpen closed with three scoreless innings to give the Hoptown Hoppers a 6-5 win over the Henderson Flash on Wednesday.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak by the Hoppers to begin the 2024 Ohio Valley League season.
The Hoppers scored four times in the second inning and added two more in the fourth on a two-run single by Ruben Ogando (Providence, RI/University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy).
Henderson would come back with three runs in the fifth inning on doubles by Amir Gray (South Holland, IL/Purdue) and Wyatt Bowling (Lebanon, TN/Trevecca), a fielder’s choice, and a Hoppers error.
The Flash got to within a single run in the sixth on two RBI groundouts.
But Hoptown’s bullpen was on point as Sam Patrick (Oneonta, AL/Montevallo) pitched a scoreless seventh, Payton Armour (Harrogate, TN/Lincoln Memorial) a scoreless eighth, and Reid Gongwer (Birmingham, AL/Montevallo) struck out the side in the ninth for the save.
Hoptown’s early burst came in the second inning when they loaded the bases and Ethan Landis (Calvert City/Rend Lake) hit a sharp grounder that ate up the shortstop and scored two runs.
A throwing error allowed Dom Davis (Bowling Green/Rend Lake) to score, and John Kiebler (Paducah/Southeastern Illinois) followed with an RBI groundout.
Braden Canaan (Clarksville, TN/Bethel) went the first four-and-two-third innings and allowed two earned runs. Easton Barnett (Smyrna, TN/Lincoln Memorial) got the next four outs to pick up the win.
Brock Lummus (Hays, KS/Western Illinois) had two hits for Henderson and Bowling added a two-run double in the sixth.
UP NEXT: The Hoppers (1-3) are on the road for the next two games – Friday at Madisonville and Saturday at first place Paducah before returning home Sunday to play Fulton.
Henderson (2-2) will play Paducah on Thursday.
