After not scoring in each of their last two outings, the Hopkins County Central Storm led for the first four innings on Friday before a six-run fifth sent visiting Butler County to an 11-6 victory.
After Gaige Brasher tied things up with an RBI double in the bottom of the first, the Storm surged in front on back-to-back RBI singles by Brody Smith and Brasher to lead 4-1 after two frames.
However, with two outs in the top of the fifth, RBI singles by Mason West, Brycen Mode, and Justin Castlen, along with a two-run double from Eli Oaks, blew the game open for an 8-4 Butler County advantage.
Brasher capped a four-hit, three-RBI night with a run-scoring double to cut the Bears’ lead to 9-6 in the sixth, but the Storm wouldn’t cross the plate again.
Castlen closed out the scoring with a two-run double in the seventh to help the Bears improve to 11-9.
Duncan Tyree earned the win on the mound, allowing two unearned runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts over five and a third innings.
Tristan Schmaltz took the loss for the Storm, giving up seven runs, five earned, on six hits with four walks and a pair of strikeouts over four and two-thirds.
Hopkins Central dropped its third straight to slip to 4-15 ahead of a visit from Fort Campbell on Saturday.
