By GRACE CANSLER
The Hopkinsville Tigers took advantage of 10 walks and seven Heritage Christian Academy errors to roll past the host Warriors 16-4 Saturday in a District 8 baseball game.
The Tigers move to 3-1 in the District 8 standings and will take on Christian County at 6 p.m. Friday night in a district showdown. The Colonels are 3-0 in District play entering tonight’s game against Heritage Christian Academy. Airtime for tonight’s game is at 5:45 p.m. on 95.3 The Farm.
On Saturday, Hopkinsville grabbed control of the game in the top of the second inning with seven runs off starting pitcher Ethan Miles. The Tigers had four hits in the inning, including a double by Gavin Powell. Hoptown also took advantage of two walks, a hit batsman, and a Warrior error in the frame.
Heritage Christian (3-9, 0-3) cut the led to 7-1 in the bottom of the second inning when Jayden Nichols led off with a single. The Warriors loaded the bases with one out after consecutive walks. Nichols scored on an error.
The Tigers pushed the lead to 11-1 in the top of the third with a two-out rally that saw Deuce Embrey double to score Gavin Mitchell and Powell crossed the plate on a passed ball. Griffen Meacham singled to score Embrey and Jayden Kellum scored on an error.
The Warriors cut the lead to 11-3 in the bottom of the third frame as they drew three walks. Collin Outland had a RBI-single and Caden Gresham scored when Lawson Clark was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Hopkinsville added four more runs in the top of the fourth inning using a pair of singles and an error by HCA to make it 15-3.
After the Warriors added a run in the bottom of the fourth, the Tigers made it 16-4 in the fifth on a fly ball by Decian Goeddertz.
Chase Fort picked up the pitching win for Hopkinsville as he went three innings and struck out four.
Miles suffered the pitching loss for HCA as he went 2 2/3 innings and gave up six earned runs and struck out six.
Griffen Meacham had two singles and drove in three runs, Embrey had a double and single, and Mitchell had a pair of singles to lead the Tigers.
Cadyn Travis, Nichols, and Outland had singles for HCA.
Hopkinsville is scheduled to play host to Marshall County on Monday.
HCA will take on Christian County at Colonel Field at 6 p.m. Monday. Airtime for the game is 5:45 p.m. on 95.3 The Farm.
Score by Innings:
Hopkinsville 074 41 – 16 8 1
Heritage Christian 012 10 – 4 3 7
WP – Fort
LP – Miles
Leading Hitters; HHS – Powell (2B), Mitchell (2 1B), Embrey (2B, 1B), Kellum (1B), Meacham (2 1B); HCA – Travis
(1B), Nichols (1B), Outland (1B).
Photos by Grace Cansler