Bombers blow Hoppers away while huge crowd enjoys inflated fun
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The Dubois County Bombers completed an impressive four-day sweep of their Ohio Valley League rivals last night, downing the Hopkinsville Hoppers 9-2.
The victory was in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 1500 fans who turned out on this summer evening to cheer on their first-place Bombers. In addition, the Zooperstars, a highly in-demand featured promotion of zany characters, added to the enjoyment.
The Bombers depth and balance have been keys to their success on the season thus far. Head Coach Andy Lasher tabbed Jay Prior for the starting assignment against the Hoppers. Prior is the seventh pitcher to start a game for Dubois County already in this young season.
Prior worked seven innings, limiting Hopkinsville to a single run, scattering six hits and a pair of walks. Coupled with a Bomber offense that has been flying in high gear lately, that was more than good enough.
The large home crowd didn’t have to wait long for something to cheer. Devyn Newberry walked in the first. He moved to second on a Nick Gobert single. After those two pulled off a double steal, Newberry came home on a Drake McNamara base hit.
Dubois County added three in the third. Noah Sadler led off with a single. He scored two outs later as McNamara picked up his second RBI of the night. Mark Giesler followed by launching a 2-run homer that disappeared between the foul pole and the old-time scoreboard in left field, making the score 4-0.
The Hoppers responded with their first run in the top of the fourth when Mitch Gallagher timed a delayed steal of home.
Dubois County added an unearned run in the sixth, and followed with a four-run spree in the seventh, highlighted by hits by Newberry, Gobert, McNamara, and Alex Ralph.
Gallagher got an RBI single in the 8th to round out the scoring with the Bombers in front, 9-2.
Derek Flaugher and Nicholas Scheller came out of the Bomber bullpen to preserve the victory for Prior (1-0).
McNamara was a perfect 4-for-4 on the evening. Gobert and Ralph both had a pair of hits to add to Giesler’s home run. It was the first homer hit at League Stadium this summer in OVL play.
Gallagher had three hits for the Hoppers. Bo Coolen, Gallagher’s Pepperdine teammate added two. Starter Parker Cash takes the loss in his first decision of the season.
In the past four days, the Bombers played each league opponent once, and won all four games in convincing fashion. Grand total, Dubois County outscored the opposition 46-11 in that span.
The four-game win streak matches the team’s longest of the year, and extends the league lead to a game-and-a-half over second place Fulton. Hopkinsville falls to 4-6. They are in fourth place, three games off of the league pace.
The Bombers are off tonight.
They will host Owensboro on Sunday night. Game time is at 6 pm.
Hopkinsville will be at Madisonville tonight.
<Photos by Matt Crane>
