The Miners defeated the Hoppers 16-8 in Hoptown on Monday night to extend their winning streak to five games and improve their overall record to 24-15 with one regular season game remaining. The official OVL box score from the ballgame is available HERE.
Down 7-2 after three innings of play, the Miners scored seven runs in the top of the 4th inning, knocking Hopper starter Dylan Givens out of the ballgame. After a fly ball from Shane Connahan to start the inning, six consecutive Miners reached base and scored runs (Brooks Benson, Tyler Greiner, EJ Watson, JD Minor, Connor Moss, and Wesley Birchmeier). Shane Connahan, batting for the second time in the inning, roped a three-RBI double to the right-center gap to also score Cory Finkler.
The Hoppers picked up one run in the bottom of the 4th to narrow the Miner lead to 9-8, but Miner starter Yancey Pritchett and reliever JA Harville shut out the Hoppers from there. The Miners pulled away late in the ballgame, scoring twice in the top of the 8th and five more times in the top of the 9th.
Yancey Pritchett picked up the Win, pitching five-1/3 innings. Harville took over from there and pitched three-2/3 shut out innings for the Save.
At the plate, Nolan Ramsey and Shane Connahan each picked up three RBI, with Wesley Birchmeier and JD Minor each picking up two RBI. Connor Moss picked up the other RBI for the Miners. Madisonville ended the game with thirteen hits to twelve for the Hoppers.
The unofficial iScore pitch-by-pitch game summary is available here: MAD@HOP July 20 pitchbypitch. The unofficial iScore scorecard is available here: MAD@HOP July 20 scorecard.
OVL Playoff Picture
Madisonville’s win, coupled with Fulton’s loss on Monday night to Owensboro, brings the Miners and Railroaders into a tie for second place in the OVL standings. Fulton’s loss also clinches the 2015 OVL regular season championship (and #1 playoff seed) for the Dubois County Bombers.
Madisonville faces Dubois County at Elmer Kelley Stadium on Tuesday night, while Fulton hosts Hoptown. A win by the Miners (or a Railroader loss) will give Madisonville the #2 seed heading into the OVL playoffs on Friday night.
