Hoppers aided by Barnhart’s Grand Slam in pivotal win over the Miners

Jul 11, 2023

The Hoppers came into Colonel Field for a Monday night matchup against the Madisonville Miners desperate for a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The Hoppers are currently in fifth place in the South Division of the Ohio Valley League and only the top four teams will move on to postseason play.

The Miners also are the fifth seed in the North Division so they had something to fight for as well, but it was the Hoppers that came out on top winning 9-4.

Madisonville held a 2-0 lead for five innings and went on to score their third run in the sixth to take a 3-0 lead.

The Hoppers then recorded 6 hits, 3 walks, and 4 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 4-3 lead.

As the Hoppers tried to fend of the Miners it was a crucial mistake in the top of the eighth that led to a tie game. With two outs, the hoppers’ pitcher Frankie Paradis who was having a great night in relief with 5 strikeouts in a row, walked a batter with two outs.

For the next batter it was then a strike three ball swung on and missed that escaped home plate, allowing runners to reach first and second base for Madisonville.

A run was then batted in to tie the game 4-4 before heading into the bottom of the eighth.

The Hoppers offense then went on to explode with some help from the Miners as the first three batters reached base on two walks and an error.

Sam Perkins then singled in a run with the bases loaded to give the Hoppers a 5-4 lead.

It was then time for Thomas Barnhart to come to the plate with no outs and the bases still loaded. Barnhart played for the Bowling Green Pistons and against the Hoptown Hoppers just two days before his Hopper debut.

Barnhart, the foe turned friend, went on to homer a 1-0 pitch to center field for a Grand Slam to extend the Hoppers lead to 5.

In the top of the ninth, Chase Gruno closed for the Hoppers and allowed no runners to reach base giving the Hoppers a 9-4 win.

The Hoppers now turn their attention to the Clarksville WhirlyBirdz for a Tuesday night road matchup inside Rossview High School’s ballpark. The WhirlyBirdz have had the Hoppers number all year going 4-0 in the series so far.

Clarksville is currently one game ahead of Hoptown and a win for the Hoppers would undoubtedly help the playoff chances for the Hoppers.

First pitch will be at 7:00 PM.