The Miners defeated the Fulton Railroaders 9-7 at Elmer Kelley on Sunday night to advance to the 2015 OVL Championship Series. The Miners will face the Dubois County Bombers, who knocked out the Hoptown Hoppers on Sunday night to advance.
Madisonville got on the board first, scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning and two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Fulton answered with three runs in the top of the third to tie the game at 3-3.
After the Railroaders took the lead 4-3 in the top of the fourth, the Miners scored four runs on the bottom of the frame to lead 7-4 after four complete innings of play.
Fulton scored two runs in the fifth inning and trailed 7-6 heading to the bottom of the inning. The score stayed 7-6 until the bottom of the sixth, when Madisonville picked up one run and extended the lead to 8-6. Madisonville added another run in the bottom of the seventh to make the 9-6. Fulton rallied with one run in the top of the eighth inning to cut the lead to 9-7, but the Miners held on to close the door on the Railroader season.
Shane Connahan led the way at the plate for the Miners, batting 3-for-5 with four RBI and one run scored. Connahan’s big blow came on a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning off Fulton reliever Trey Tigart. Brooks Benson (3-for-5, 2 RBI) added a solo home run of his own to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. Nolan Ramsey (4-6, 2 RBI) scored a run, as did Connor Moss, Cory Finkler (2 runs scored), Tyler Greiner, Andrew Tanous, and JD Minor.
Kyle Uhrich (3-for5, 3 RBI) hammered a three-run homer for Fulton in the top of the third inning off Madisonville starter Drew Mullinax. Jacob Elliott, Drew Greenwood, Ramon Valdez, and Griffin Neuer all drove in runs for the Railroaders.
Mullinax picked up the Win for the Miners, with Wesley Birchmeier picking up the Save. Railroader starter Dillon Symon took the loss.
The complete official OVL box score is available HERE.
The unofficial iScore scorecard is available here: FUL@MAD Game Three scorecard
The unofficial iScore pitchbypitch game summary is available here: FUL@MAD Game Three pitchbypitch
OVL Championship Series Schedule
Madisonville will host Dubois County at Elmer Kelley Stadium in Madisonville on Tuesday night, July 28, for Game One of the best-of-three series. The game will get started at 7pm Central Time.
Game Two will be played at 6pm Central Time in League Stadium in Huntingburg, Indiana, on Wednesday, July 29, with the Bombers hosting Game Three (if necessary) as well on Thursday, July 30.
