(From Madisonville)  Marion simply clawed Madisonville, 15-5, tonight in Ohio Valley League action from Greenville, Kentucky.  The Bobcats (6-18) pounded out twenty-two hits and were never seriously threatened by the Pirates (12-12).  Madisonville collected nine hits on the night, and both teams made four errors.

     The scoring got underway for Marion in the top of the second inning, when the Bobcats scored four runs.  Tyler Bonaventure hit a solo home run for the first run of the game, and Tyler Odom followed with a three-run home run later in the inning.  Madisonville answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning when Austin Shives singled and drove in Robert Veltre from third base, but Marion came right back with four more runs in the top of the third inning to break the game wide open.  The Bobcats led 11-3 after five innings of play and never looked back.

     Eight Bobcat starters got at least one hit, one RBI, and scored at least one run.  Clint Ambrosch got five hits in six at-bats, scored one run, and drove in two; Tyler Odom led the team with three runs-batted-in, and Tyler Bonaventure went 3 for 4, drive in one run and scored four runs. Madisonville was led at the plate by Austin Shives (2 for 4, 4 RBI) and Robert Veltre (2 for 4, 2 R, 1 RBI).

     Bobcat starter Drew Shoulders kept the Pirate bats under control all night to earn the win.  For the night, Shoulders pitched seven complete innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on six Pirate hits, with three walks and one strike out.  David Herrera and Austin Braddock each pitched an inning of relief to finish out the game for the Bobcats.

Pirate Taylor Burr got roughed up early in his first start of the season for Madisonville, giving up eight runs (all earned) on ten hits and one strike out before leaving the game after facing four batters in the top of the third inning.  Marc Noyalis, Tyler Thomas, and Samuel Gilbert all made appearances on the mound, and all gave up at least two runs each.  Burr took the loss for the Pirates.

     The loss snapped a two-game Pirate winning streak and dropped Madisonville (12-12) back to .500 on the season, three games behind the first-place Hoptown Hoppers (15-9).  With Marion's third victory over the Pirates this season, the Bobcat record improves to 6-18, nine games behind the Hoppers.

Madisonville and Marion both get a day off on Monday before meeting again Tuesday night at Gordon Blue Guess Field in Marion.