Down 7-1 early and trailing by nine runs in the fifth, the Hoptown Hoppers got five RBI from Tanner Holliman and roared back to claim a 12-11 walk-off win over the visiting Paducah Chiefs.
After a quick top of the first and pitching with a 1-0 lead, Hoptown starter Garrett Sagro found himself in deep trouble in the second. Sagro walked the first four batters of the inning to tie the game but seemed to have righted the ship when he struck out the next two.
However, a hit by pitch and two more walks allowed three more runs, followed by an RBI single from Paducah’s Cade Rogers and another run coming home on a wild pitch.
The Chiefs added three more in the fifth and seemed to be in complete control up 10-1 with starting pitcher Carter Park cruising. But Park was greeted with a single by Alex Gonzales to start the sixth and gave way to Trenton Hyde after hitting Hoptown’s Kurt Paldino.
Holliman followed with a single to drive in a pair and BJ Banyon grounded out to bring in a run. Nico Montes reached on an error and Arlon Butts came home to cut the Paducah advantage to 10-5.
The Hoppers turned up the pressure in the seventh when Holliman smacked a three-run home run to left field to trim the margin to two. The Chiefs added a run in the top of the ninth on an RBI double by Brant Brown, leaving the Hoppers in need of heroics in their final at-bat.
Elijah Longshore took over on the mound for the Chiefs to start the bottom of the ninth, walking the first three batters he faced. Jojo Cruz grounded out to bring in a run and Paducah was taking no chances with Holliman, with Longshore hitting him in the back with his first offering.
Zayd Brannigan came through with a single to score two and tie the game, bringing up Banyon with one out and runners on second and third. Banyon hit the first pitch he saw to second and Holliman beat the throw home for the walk-off victory.
Sagro allowed seven earned runs with seven walks and three strikeouts. Campbell Cleveland followed, working three and a third and yielding three earned runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Colby Downard went three and a third, allowing an earned run on two hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Chase Gruno got the last out in the top of the ninth with a strikeout.
Banyon and Brannigan each drove in two runs, with Gonzales and Holliman both hitting safely twice.
Hager, Hudson, and Rogers each drove in two runs for Paducah and Brown had three hits.
