The Hoptown Hoppers turned the tables on the Paducah Chiefs on Wednesday, scoring four times in the final two innings for a 6-4 win at Tiger Stadium.
It was a game that featured a bit of everything – a pitcher hitting a home run, 20 strikeouts, an unsolicited neighborhood fireworks show, and a steal of home that produced the game-winning run.
Tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Jordan Gonzalez (Dallas, Tex./Univ. of Health Sciences and Pharmacy) opened the frame with a walk. After a one-out walk to Esteban Sepulveda (Lancaster, Cal./Pepperdine), Gonzalez moved to third on a passed ball. With Kolby Webb (Cabot, Ark./Arkansas State Mountain Home) at the plate, Gonzalez came down the third base line and forced a rundown. When the throw went to second to try and get the trail runner, Gonzalez came home without a throw.
Webb was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Brayden Eftink (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Mississippi Valley State) drew a bases-loaded walk to add an insurance run.
Harrison Waxley (Bossier City, La./Louisiana Christian) pitched a perfect ninth inning to get the save.
The Hoppers were outhit by the Chiefs 10-4, with four singles comprising Hoptown’s offense. Grant Snider (Franklin, Tenn./Middle Tennessee State) had two singles, with his third-inning hit driving in two runs.
The Hoppers were walked 12 times and hit twice by Chiefs pitching.
Eftink wobbled a bit early on the mound, allowing a solo home run to Parker Price (Eldorado, Ill./Kaskaskia CC) on the game’s seventh pitch. He allowed two runs in the second and one more in the third before settling down to retire eight of the last 10 batters he faced. He struck out nine and walked just one batter in getting the no-decision.
Sam Patrick (Oneonta, Ala./Montevallo) got the win in relief with two innings of one-hit baseball.
Colin McClure (Mount Vernon, Ill./Rend Lake) had three singles for the Chiefs, who have won four of the seven meetings with the Hoppers this season.
Hoptown (11-14) will travel to Fulton on Thursday as the Hoppers look to climb up the OVL standings and out of fourth place.
