In 11 innings. (From Dubois County)  The 4th of July is not a day that is positively associated with Kings. But the Dubois County Bombers took their "Every night is throwback night" theme to a new level last night, with a King as the unlikely Independence Day hero – Kaleb King to be specific. 
     Bombers starter Ryan Dills scattered five hits in nine innings of work, but the Hoppers bunched three of the five into the second inning, using singles off the bats of Scottie Adkins, Taylor Blair, and Mitchell Gallagher to take an early 2-0 lead. 
     The Bombers tied the game in short order, scoring single runs in the bottom of the second and third innings. Nick Gobert scored on Joe Redburn's groundout in the second. Chase Scott's single brought Ty Broady home in the third.
     Dubois County threatened to add more in the third. But Trevor Blocker, the league co-leader in wins, stepped out of the Hopkinsville bullpen early, extinguishing a Bomber threat with the bases loaded and one down.
     Inning by inning, batter by batter, Blocker and Dills retired their respective opponents with little trouble through the remainder of the regulation nine innings. Dills would not face more than three batters in any inning between the third and the ninth inning. Meanwhile, Blocker pitched six innings before allowing a single Bomber hit. 
     Tied at two after nine innings, the scheduled postgame fireworks were temporarily placed on hold. The matter on the field would have to be settled before turning the night over to pyrotechnics. It was still twilight and too early for fireworks anyway on a night when efficient pitching was the theme.
     Hopkinsville loaded the bases in the 10th, but reliever Brandon Hicks struck out Chris Carrier to end the threat. Nick Barrientos got a one-out single for Dubois County in the bottom of the 10th, but was erased on a double play.
     The Hoppers took a 3-2 lead in the 11th after Ben Rodriguez led off with a double. Michael Haun pinch ran for him and eventually scored on a bunt by Taylor Blair.
     The bottom of the 11th started slowly enough. A groundout, an error, and a fielder's choice resulted in Nick Gobert standing on first base with two down. Then Joe Sturino blasted a Trevor Blocker offering into deep right-field for a double, advancing Gobert to third.
     With two out, two runners in scoring position, the Bombers trailing by one, and a huge holiday crowd ready for a show in the night sky, Kaleb King was sent up to pinch-hit. The King may not be The Independence Day hero in the history books, but he was on this night. King shot a flare into right-center that brought home both Gobert and Sturino, sealing the victory and setting off the celebration.
     Jacob Murray earns the win in his first decision of the season. Trevor Blocker takes the tough loss, falling to 4-1.
     The victory was the 6th in the last 7 games for the Bombers, pulling them within four games of the 2nd-place Hoppers. Dubois County is now 13-13, pulling to an even .500 record for the first time since the season started. 
     Hopkinsville had started the season by winning their first 11 games. This loss drops them to 6-9 since that span, making an overall record of 17-9. The Hoppers are now 2 ½ games behind the league-leading Oilers.