(From Hopkinsville)  The Owensboro Oilers took the first game in the best-of-three Ohio Vally League championship series, beating the homestanding Hoptown Hoppers 6-2 Monday.

     Owensboro got a great outing from starting pitcher Caleb Johnson, who allowed two runs on five hits, striking out three and walking four in seven innings of work.

     Owensboro got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning when Morgan Grisham led off with a single, went to second on a sacrifice bunt, took third on a flyout and scored on a single by Tyler Rachel to give the Oilers an early 1-0 lead.

     Hoptown tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Parker Cash was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by Chris Carrier to knot the game at 1-1.

     The Oilers retook the lead in the top of the second when Braxton Brinkley led off with a single, went to second when Harold Diaz walked, went to third on a sac bunt and scored on a groundout to put Owensboro ahead 2-1.

     Owensboro added to that lead in the third inning when Alfredo Bohorquez led off with a double and went to third on a fielding error on the play. He scored on a single by Jake Wilson to put the Oilers ahead 3-1.

     In the bottom of the fourth, the Hoppers closed the deficit when Michael Haun reached on a two-out walk, stole second and scored on a double by John Davis to trim the Oiler lead to 3-2.

     Owensboro enhanced its lead in the top of the sixth when Harold Diaz led off with a single and scored on Dalton West's double. West took third on Austin Birtle's single and scored during a double play to push the Oilers' lead to 5-2.

     The Oilers tacked on another run in the seventh inning when Jake Wilson led off with a single and was lifted for pinch-runner Justin Cessna. Cessna went to second on a sac bunt and scored on a ground-rule double by Braxton Brinkley to cap the scoring at 6-2.

     Coming up big at the plate for Owensboro were Brinkley, who went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and a run batted in, and Wilson, who went 2-for-4. The Oilers also got doubles from Bohorquez, West and Christian McHatton.

     Five Hoppers each got a hit, with Carrier and John Davis each getting doubles.

     Owensboro's relief pitchers did not give up a hit in the last two innings, with Kevin Meyer pitching the eighth inning and striking out two and Mark Chemello closing out the game by pitching the ninth.