To say that Hoptown Hoppers pitcher Jackson Lyons found his groove Monday night would be a bit of an understatement. Lyons threw a strong seven innings as the Hoppers rolled past the Muhlenberg County Stallions 6-1 at Christian County High School.
Lyons gave up a two-out single in the top of the first inning and then promptly set down the next sixteen batters he faces. Another Stallion did not reach base until Muhlenberg County came up with a double to lead off the top of the seventh. The Stallions would get runners on first and third with one out in the seventh, but Lyons was able to get a flyout and a strikeout to end the threat.
Lyons would leave the game after the seventh having given up no runs on three hits, striking out four while walking none.
While Lyons was mowing the Stallions down at the plate, his Hopper teammates were generating him plenty of run support. The Hoppers got on the board in the bottom of the first on a ground out from Jojo Cruz that drove in Cam Thompson, who had led off the inning with a double, giving Hoptown a 1-0 lead.
Landon Choboy extended the lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the 2nd when he blasted one over the right-field fence. Hoptown would add another solo run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by B.J. Banyon to move the lead out to 3-0.
The lead would grow to 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Nico Montes and Jake Parr each connected with RBI singles to give the Hoppers a bit more breathing room. Noah Brown would add more insurance in the bottom of the 8th with an RBI double to make it 6-0.
Muhlenberg County would try to mount a rally in the top of the 9th. The Stallions would use a walk and a pair of hits to cut the lead to five runs but could extend the rally no further.
JoJo Cruz, Alex Gonzales, Landon Choboy, and Noah Brown, all had two hits for the Hoppers. Six different Hoppers drove in a run on the night.
Riley Garczynski took to the mound to finish out the final two innings in relief for the Hoppers.
The win, which was the Hoppers third in a row, moves Hoptown to 14-11 on the season.
