The Hoptown Hoppers’ 2024 campaign came to an end Saturday night with a loss to Fulton in the Ohio Valley League playoffs.
Jake Vitale and Dom Maldet each homered as the Railroaders defeated the Hoppers 8-2 at Hopkinsville High School.
Vitale finished 3-for-5 with two runs batted in while Maldet was 2-for-5 and drove in three as the No. 5-seeded Railroaders advance to the semifinals against the top-seeded Madisonville Miners.
Vitale’s two-run shot to right in the top of the first inning put Fulton up 2-0, and the Railroaders never trailed after that.
Maldet had a solo homer to left in the second to make it 3-0.
Both Hoptown runs came in the bottom of the sixth, but the Hoppers could get only as close as 6-2.
Mason Cook was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs for Fulton.
Ethan Landis was the only Hopper with more than one base hit, going 2-for-4. Gavin Lake doubled home both Hoptown runs.
The Hoppers end the season with a mark of 17-22.
The Railroaders (14-25) advance to play Madisonville (23-17) in a best-of-3 semifinal round beginning Monday night at Elmer Kelley Stadium at Madisonville City Park.
