After a pair of mercy-rule wins to start the season, Madisonville-North Hopkins found itself on the wrong end of a shortened game on Thursday in a 13-3 five-inning defeat to visiting McLean County.
Leading 2-0 in the top of the third, the Cougars erupted for nine runs beginning with an RBI double by Layden Bozarth.
Brantley Harris got the Maroons on the board with a single to drive in a run in the bottom of the third, and they added a second on a wild pitch.
McLean County restored the 10-run cushion in the fourth and added a run on a sacrifice fly in their next at-bat.
Harris rounded out a two-hit, two-RBI night with a double to drive in a run, but the Maroons couldn’t extend the game.
Evan Lear took the loss on the mound for Madisonville, allowing six earned runs on three hits with five walks and two strikeouts.
For the 2-0 Cougars, Connor Mitchuson and Houston Whitaker both finished 2/2 with two RBI, and Bozarth also had two hits.
Jax Lee earned the win, giving up two unearned runs on four hits with nine strikeouts over four innings.
The Maroons will look to bounce back on Friday when they travel to Clarksville to face the Kenwood Knights.
