(From Hopkinsville)  Visiting Owensboro blew open a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning with four unearned runs to hand homestanding Hoptown its first home loss of the season, 7-4, on Sunday. Owensboro (13-5) pulled to within a game of the Ohio Valley League leaders with the win.
     The Oilers were the first to score in the game, as Christian McHatton drew a one-out walk and scored on a double by Dalton West to put Owensboro ahead 1-0.
     Hoptown (14-4) overtook the Oilers in the fifth inning when Michael Haun led off with a walk, went to second on a sac bunt and scored when Sean Brophy reached on an error, tying the game at 1-1. Brophy went to second on the error and scored on a groundout to put the Hoppers ahead 2-1.
     Owensboro retook the lead in the sixth when Tyler Rachel led off with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and scored on a double by McHatton, tying the game at 2-2. McHatton scored when Harold Diaz reached on a two-base error to put the Oilers ahead 3-2.
     Back-to-back muffed sacrifice bunts kept the Oilers on the basepaths in the seventh inning. Justin Cessna led off with a walk, then scored on a throwing error on an attempted sac bunt by Alfredo Bohorques. Bohorques scored from first on another misthrow on a sac bunt, this one by Braxton Brinkley, who reached third base on the play. McHatton followed with a walk, and Harold Diaz doubled in McHatton and Brinkley to give the Oilers a 7-2 lead.
     Hoptown stayed in the game, as Bubba Olivera popped a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh. The Hoppers plated a run in the ninth inning when John Davis led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout for the final 7-4 score.
     McHatton went 2-for-2 with a double for the Oilers, scoring three runs and driving in one. Diaz went 2-for-5 with two doubles and two runs batted in. Brinkley added two RBIs for Owensboro, while West pounded out a double.
     Five Hoppers each had a hit for Hoptown, with Olivera getting a home run and Davis picking up a double.
Sam Higgs (2-0) got the win in an impressive start for Owensboro, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits, striking out four and walking two in 7 2/3 innings. Jackson Lockhart finished the eighth inning, while Kevin Meyer pitched the ninth, allowing one run on one hit, striking out two.
     Evan Tidwell (2-1) took the loss as the Hoppers' starter, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits, striking out three and walking three in 5 2/3 innings. Heath Petty came on in the sixth, allowing four unearned runs on two hits, walking one in one inning. Josh Drake finished the seventh inning, allowing one hit and walking one in two-thirds of an inning, and Olivera closed the game for Hoptown, allowing no hits and walking one in two innings of work.