The Hoptown Hoppers will need a win tonight to keep their Ohio Valley League championship hopes alive as the Henderson Flash visit Tiger Field for Game 2 of their best-of-three championship series.
The Hoppers battled from behind all night Tuesday but couldn’t catch up to the host Flash in the end and dropped a 16-13 decision in the first game of the Ohio Valley Conference championship series.
Hoptown trailed 7-1 after two innings but fought back to within 7-5 entering the bottom of the fourth inning. Evan Jacob had a two-run homer as part of a three-run third inning and Brennen Gibson hit a solo home run in the fourth as part of the Hoppers’ comeback.
However, Henderson (30-11) answered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend its lead to 11-5. Peyton Tatum had a solo home run but the big blow was a three-run homer from Jacob Froelich.
The Hoppers cut the deficit to 11-10 entering the bottom of the eighth inning with two runs in the fifth and two in the sixth. However, the Flash scored five times using five walks, a hit batter, and two hits to push its lead to 16-10 entering the ninth.
Gibson slammed a three-run home run in the top of the ninth to draw within 16-13 and the Hoppers put two runners on base. However, the Flash got a strikeout to end the game and take the 1-0 series lead.
Gibson went 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs, four RBI, and four runs to lead Hoptown, which fell to 26-13 on the year. Jacob also went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Myles Denton drove in three runs with a pair of hits, including a two-run homer for Hoptown.
Clark Gries went 2-for-2 with three RBI to lead the Flash. Gunnar Waldrup, Jacob Tucker, and Froelich each had a pair of hits. Tyler Rinehart had three singles.
A Henderson win would secure the first OVL championship for the Flash since 2024. A Hoptown win would send the series back to Henderson Thursday night for a winner-take-all championship game.
Tonight’s game is a $1 entry and first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. Airtime will be 6:15 p.m. on 95.3 The Farm and 953thefarm.com.
Score by Innings:
Hoptown 013 122 013 – 13 13 1
Henderson 250 400 05x – 16 12 2
WP – Mason
LP – Gage Montes
Leading Hitters: Hoptown – Gibson (2 HR, 1B, 4 RBI), Akins (2B), Hartman (1B), Jacob (HR, 2 1B, 3 RBI), Denton (HR, 1B, 3 RBI), Reynolds (1B), Riggs (1B), Harmon (1B).
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