Photo by John Morgan Francis
The Hoptown Hoppers visited the Paducah Chiefs Sunday night and put their OVL-best 7-1 record on the line. While the game went to extra innings, the Hoppers were resilient and took the decision 8-6 in the 13th.
The Chiefs were on the board early, scoring one run in the first.
After a scoreless second, the Hoppers answered with two in the third. MJ Rookard flied out but the throw wasn’t in time allowing John Keane to score. Next, Aidan Elias rocked an RBI-single that scored Max Remy.
The fourth was quiet but Paducah managed to tie it up in the fifth at 2 runs a piece.
Hoptown didn’t waste any time, however, as Joe DeFina drove in Cody Hartness with an RBI-single.
The Hoppers continued their momentum in the seventh, with Elias scoring Cole Cummings off a RBI-double and Blake Jackson following suit with a sac-fly that scored Rookard.
Trailing 2-5, the Chiefs managed to put up two in the seventh and then a run in the ninth to send the game to extras.
Hoptown came out smoking in the 10th when Keane drove in Jackson on an RBI-single.
Paducah was then down to their final out when Hoptown committed an error that allowed the tying run.
Tied at 6 runs each, the 11th and 12th saw five base runners but were held no runs.
Then, in the 13th, Jackson drove in both Cummings and John Michael Reed to put Hoptown up 8-6.
Rookard then stepped to the mound and took the Chiefs down in order for his first win of the season.
Logan Bowen was handed the loss.
Leading the way for Hoptown on offense was Elias, going 3-6 with two singles, a double and two RBI.
Sitting atop the OVL with an 8-1 record, the Hoppers will likely make the trip to Madisonville Monday night to face the Miners (4-5).
Monday was scheduled to be their off-day before their matchup with the Miners was canceled Saturday night due to weather.
Further updates on the potential game will be released via the @HoptownHoppers and @YourSportsEdge1 Twitter pages.
