After opening the season with eight straight wins, it’s been an up and down ride for the Hopkinsville Tigers. However, after smacking Henderson County 11-0 in five innings last time out and going on the road and picking up a 7-3 win over Bowling Green on Friday night, the Tigers seem to be sorting things out at the right time.
Hoptown improves to 19-9 and hands the Purples, the state’s fourth-ranked team by RPI, only their fourth loss of the season and puts an end to a seven-game winning run.
The game was scoreless through two innings before the Purples broke through in the third against Hoptown starting pitcher Preston Chaudoin. Bowling Green loaded the bases on a double, a walk, and a single before another walk brought in the first run. The Purples pushed two more runs across on a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly to lead 3-0.
Hoptown answered with three runs of their own in the top of the fourth, with Chaudoin coming home on a passed ball and Blake Balthrop and Kaden West drawing bases-loaded walks.
Chaudoin lasted three innings before handing off to Tim Cansler, and he and Logan Durst combined to hold Bowling Green to only three hits and no runs over the final four frames.
The Tigers took the lead for good in the top of the fifth when Chaudoin once again scored on a passed ball for a 4-3 advantage. Chaudoin was at it again in the sixth, doubling to score two and crossing the plate on a single by Zach West.
Cansler got the win, allowing a single hit with a walk and four strikeouts over two innings. Durst pitched the sixth and seventh, holding the Purples to two hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
Moss had two hits for the Tigers, with Chaudoin driving in two and Moss, Balthrop, and West each collecting an RBI.
The top-seeded Tigers kick off the postseason on Monday when they face fourth-seeded Fort Campbell in the first round of the 8th District tournament.
