Four RBI doubles powered an 11-run 4th inning to send hosts Madisonville past the Hoptown Hoppers in seven innings on Thursday, the Miners’ second straight win to help them stay atop the standings at 13-6.
The Hoppers jumped in front in the top of the 1st on a two-run single by Ruben Ogando and added two more runs on a pair of Miner errors to lead 4-0. But Madisonville answered in the bottom of the frame on RBI singles by Brayden Taylor and Oliver Clark and a two-run home run by Nazhir Bergen.
Caden Buxton’s two-run shot to center field put the Hoppers back in front in the top of the 2nd, but they wouldn’t cross the plate again. Trailing by a run in the bottom of the 4th, the Miners loaded the bases with a single, a walk, and an error ahead of an RBI double by Bergen to put Madisonville on top 9-7.
Braden Gibson doubled to bring in a run followed by a run-scoring single by Oliver Clark, and Kadin Ray’s sacrifice fly stretched the advantage to 12-7. A run on a wild pitch ahead of RBI doubles by Preston Bedford and Payton Stephenson gave the Miners a 10-run cushion to round out the scoring.
Schon Pespisa earned the win on the mound, holding the Hoppers scoreless over four and a third innings on four hits with a walk and a strikeout. Landon Cline got the start for the Miners, yielding seven runs, six earned, on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts over an inning and two-thirds.
John McGee took the loss for the Hoppers, surrendering six earned runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout over five innings. Brayden Eftink worked three frames, giving up nine runs, eight earned, on eight hits with four walks and six strikeouts.
Buxton drove in three runs for the Hoppers, Ogando added two RBI, and Grant Snider and Dom Davis each finished with two hits.
For the Miners, Stephenson drove in five runs on three hits, Bergen hit safely three times and had three RBI, Clark had two hits and drove in two, and Gibson and Jace Parnin each hit safely twice.
The Hoppers slipped to 9-11 ahead of a trip to face the Paducah Chiefs on Friday. Hoptown will be looking to knot the season series after the Chiefs have won three of the first five meetings.
