(From Fulton). The Railroaders and Hoppers both fought well on Friday with Fulton coming out on top and gaining a game on second place Hoptown in the standings.  A game total of 22 hits and mild weather made for an excellent night of baseball at Fulton's Lohaus Field.

     The Hoppers got off to a quick start scoring one run in the 1st inning.  Three hit singles ended with a Scotty Adkins RBI rap with two outs.

     The Railroaders immediately responded with three hits for two runs. Reed Johnson hit a RBI double to scored one then made home on a following RBI double by Dayton Rausch.  Fulton took a 2-1 lead.

     Hoptown fought back in the 2nd inning to tie it up at two each.  Sean Brophy singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and made third base on a Meade Kendrick single.  Brophy was driven in with a sacrifice fly by Matthew Alford.

     Fulton's quickly regained the lead when Daniel Goff lead off the bottom half of the 2nd inning with homerun, his second for the season.

     The Railroaders extended their lead in 4th scoring two more runs.  Both Jeremiah Spring and Goff started the inning with singles and later crossed the plate on two fielder's choice plays

     The Hoppers banged out two more runs in the top of the 5th inning.  Solo homeruns by Taylor Blair and Jeffrey Kammer closed the score to 5-4 but still in Fulton's favor.

     In the bottom of the 8th the Railroaders put up two more insurance runs.  Jeremiah Spring reached base on an error and made third stealing two bases.  After two walks loaded the bases, Spring scored off a RBI single by Tyler Marshall.  With bases still loaded, Conner Hill drew yet another walk for a RBI.

     A total of fifteen different hitters form both sides got one or two hits on the evening.

     For Fulton, Justin Vernia gets the win for the first five innings on the mound.  Vernia gave up 9 hits, 4 earned runs, no walks and had 5 strikeouts.  Clay Chandler threw for 3 scoreless innings with only one hit given up and a strikeout.  Keaton Baker closed out the final innings earning a save, no hits, one walk and 2 strikeouts.

     The loss for Hoptown is taken by starter Reese Johnson for 6 innings.  Johnson allowed 10 hits, 5 earned runs, no walks and had 2 strikeouts.  Health Petty and Josh Drake each pitched one inning to close out for the Hoppers.

     The two teams meet one more time in regular season play on Sunday in Fulton. Hoptown leads the season series 7-2 over Fulton.