It was a tough night to be a pitcher Friday night at Christian County High School. After the game was delayed 30 minutes from its original start time to allow the field to be prepared for the game after heavy rains earlier this week, the Hoptown Hoppers and Franklin Duelers decided to test the lights on the scoreboard.
The Duelers took the lead with a big second inning and then held the Hoppers at bay for the rest of the night on their way to a 15-10 win. The two teams combined to score 25 runs on a total of 30 hits. The teams also had their issues in the field, combining for seven errors.
The Duelers got the offensive explosion started in the top of the second inning as they plated six runs to take the early 6-0 lead. The first seven Franklin batters in the inning reached base safely on a combination of four singles, two walks, and a double.
The Hoppers rebounded in the bottom of the third inning, scoring four runs of their own to cut the lead to 6-4. Riley Garczynski, Cam Thompson, Nico Montes, and Zayd Brannigan, all had RBIs in the inning for Hoptown.
Franklin rejoined the hit parade in the top of the 4th inning scoring three runs on a blast off the bat of Benny Hymes. The runs came after a two-out error by Hoptown opened the door in the inning.
However, Hoptown got the runs right back in the bottom half of the inning. Jojo Cruz drove in a pair with a bases-loaded double to cut the lead to 9-6. Nico Montes followed that up with a sac fly to trim the lead to 9-7.
The Duelers kept the offense rolling in the top of the 5th inning. Franklin loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a single to set up the inning. Carter Vrable, son of Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrable, drove in a pair of runs with a bases-loaded double. Benny Hymes added another run with an RBI single to push the lead out to 12-7.
The Hoppers then scored for the third consecutive inning in the bottom of the 5th. Alex Gonzales took one out of the park to left field to trim the lead to 12-8.
After blanking the duelers in the top of the sixth, the Hoppers made it four straight innings with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. After Jojo Cruz led off the inning with a single, Landon Choboy drove him home with a two-out double to cut the lead further to 12-9. Choboy would then score on a single from Alex Gonzales as the Hoppers made it 12-10.
Just as it seemed like the Hoppers were about to catch and pass the Duelers, Franklin got going again. The Duelers were able to load the bases with a walk, a hit batter, and a Hopper error in the top of the seventh. J Curtis drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 13-10. Kolby Wall then followed that up with an RBI single to push the lead out to 14-10.
Franklin would add an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning to make it 15-10 headed into the final half-inning.
The Hoppers bats finally ran out of gas, as Hoptown could not mount a rally in the bottom of the inning and the Duelers finally took home the win.
Jojo Cruz and Alex Gonzales led the Hopper attack with three hits each. Five other Hoppers had two hits each. Cruz, Gonzales, and Nico Montes had two RBIs each.
In addition to 13 hits, Hoppers pitching gave up nine walks and hit three batters in the game.
