For the first half of the game Friday night, it looked like the Hoptown Hoppers hopes of an OVL championship were in a bit of trouble. The Dubois County Bombers’ bats were hot, while the Hoppers’s bats were not. However, the Hoppers found a way to rally their way back to a 6-4 win in the championship series opener at Hopkinsville High School.
Over the first five innings, Bombers’ starter Patrick Queener had limited Hoptown to just two hits. Meanwhile, his offense had generated four runs by pounding out eight hits against Hopper pitching. Up 4-0 going into the 6th inning, Dubois County certainly looked to be in control. Then Queener lost his control, and the Bombers bullpen gave up the lead.
The Bombers still led 4-0 when the Hoppers came to bat in the bottom of the 6th inning. Queener, who had struggled a bit in the 5th inning, walked the first two batters he faced and then was taken out of the game. Chase Rudy entered the game for Dubois County and the Hoppers’ bats promptly came alive.
Jacob Jenkins came up with an RBI single to to centerfield to cut the lead to 4-1. Ben Huber followed that up with a single to center to score two more runs, and suddenly the Hoppers found themselves down only one at 4-3 after six.
The game stayed that way until the bottom of the 8th inning, when the Hoppers finished their rally. Huber led off the inning with a double. Huber would later score on an error, tying the game at 4-4, with a runner on first base. Hunter Evans then blasted a two run shot to right center field, putting the Hoppers up 6-4.
Tyler Walton then set the Bombers down in order in the top of the 9th to close out the win. Walton was solid in relief, going 3 1/3-innings, giving up no runs on just two hits, and striking out four, and picking up the win.
Ben Huber ended the game at 2-4, with a double, and two RBIs. Hunter Evans finished 1-3, with the game winning two run homer. Jacob Jenkins was 1-4, with an RBI, and a run scored.
The Hoppers will look to clinch the OVL championship on the road at Dubois County Saturday evening. Should the Bombers win, the series deciding Game 3 would be Sunday evening at Hopkinsville High School.
