Runs came in bunches Saturday night at Hopkinsville High School. The Madisonville Miners used a six-run sixth inning to get to the lead and then held on to get past the Hoptown Hoppers 11-8 in an offensive battle.
The two teams combined for 26 hits in the contest, 11 for the Miners and 15 for the Hoppers. Both teams had their issues in the field, with Madisonville charged with three errors and Hopkinsville two. Each team also had five walks.
Madisonville got on the board in the top of the first, plating three runs. Pete Britton had the big hit of the inning with a 2-run single.
Hoptown came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. One of the runs scored on a Miner error while the other came off an RBI single from Ryan Jackson. The Hoppers then evened things up at 3-3 in the bottom of the third on another Madisonville error.
Yet another Madisonville error opened the door for Hoptown to score two runs in the bottom of the fifth to go up 5-3.
The Miner bats woke up in the top of the sixth with seven hits that helped Madisonville put six runs up on the boar.
The Hoppers cut the lead to 9-7 with a two-run single from Jordan Gonzalez in the bottom of the seventh.
Madisonville got both of the runs back in the top half of the 8th inning. Payton Stephenson had an RBI single and Kadin Ray drove in the other run with a sac fly.
Hoptown came back and loaded the bases with one out on three singles in the bottom half of the inning. However, the Hoppers were not able to take full advantage of the opportunity, scoring just one run on a bases-loaded walk as the game headed into the ninth with the Miners holding an 11-8 lead.
The Hoppers had another chance in the bottom of the 9th, again loading the bases with one out. But there would be no late-game rally. Madisonville pitcher Luke Connors struck out the next two batters to end the threat and seal the Miner win.
Harrison Waxley had a big night at the plate for Hoptown, going 4-6 with three runs scored. Caden Buxton finished the night 3-5 with two runs scored.
