(From Hopkinsville) The homestanding Hoptown Hoppers plated three runs in the fifth inning to take the lead for good, and had five pitchers combine for a three-hitter in their 6-2 win over Owensboro.

     The Hoppers (24-11) gave up a run in the second inning when the Oilers' Tyler Tichenor walked, went to second on a balk and scored on a fielder's error to give Owensboro an early 1-0 lead. The Oilers added to their lead in the third inning when Christian McHatton led off with a walk, went to second on an error, stole third and scored on a sac bunt by Matt Cissell to put the Oilers ahead 2-0.

     Hoptown got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning when Bobby Clark hit a one-out single and went to second on a fielding error. He scored when Matt McGowan was hit by a pitch with the bases load to pull the Hoppers to within a run, 2-1. Hoptown took the lead for good in the fifth inning when Jake Sandlin led off with a walk, went to second on a single by Philip Menou, took third on a single by Brad Sevenish, then scored on a balk to tie the game at 2-2. Menou scored on a wild pitch to give the Hoppers the lead, then Sevenish scored on a sac fly by Bobby Clark to give Hoptown a 4-2 lead.

     Hoptown scored again in the sixth when Seth Bancroft hit a two-out single, followed by a single by Jake Sandlin. Both runners moved up on a passed ball, and Sevenish doubled them in for the 6-2 final.

     Hoptown was led by Sevenish, who went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and two runs batted in. Clark went 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI. Sandlin scored twice for the Hoppers, and Tony Mazzella had a double. Owensboro (12-24) was paced by Matt Johnson, who went 2-for-5 with a double.