(From Dubois County)  The last time the Hopkinsville Hoppers visited League Stadium, the Bombers and Hoppers hooked up in a classic low-scoring affair with the Bombers prevailing in extra innings on Independence Day.
     Hopkinsville returned to Dubois County last night. It was another classic, but far from a pitcher's duel. The second and third place teams in the Ohio Valley League slugged it out for 9 innings with the Bombers finally prevailing 11-9.
     The Hoppers scored a run off of Bombers starter Brian Wichman in the top of the first. Dubois County answered immediately with five runs off of six hits in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by a two-run triple by Kaleb King, the Fourth of July hero. Chase Scott added an RBI-double as the home team sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning.
     Down 5-1, the Hoppers cut into the lead in the fourth inning with a two-run single by Mitch Gallagher. Once again, the Bombers wasted no time in responding. They added two of their own in the bottom of the fourth, Nick Gobert driving in both runs to restore the four-run home advantage.
     Having scored in two frames and having been answered both times by the Bomber attack, Hopkinsville's next scoring outbreak would have to be more intimidating. It was. The Hoppers pushed six runs across the plate in the seventh inning. The big blows were a two-run triple by Jake McAdams and an RBI double by Ben Rodriguez. Hopkinsville had taken a 9-7 lead.
     The Hoppers had scored in the first inning. The Bombers answered in the first. The Hoppers scored in the fourth. So did the Bombers. The question became whether Dubois County could turn the trick a third time after Hopkinsville had taken a seventh-inning lead. It turns out the Bombers not only could, but did. 
     The 900+ in attendance serenaded the home team in the seventh inning stretch, "root, root, root for your Bombers. If they don't win, it's a shame." There was no shame to be found on this night. 
     A hit batter, a walk, and a single loaded the bases with one out. Wes Fink tabbed Ty Broady to pinch-hit. Broady rocketed a ball to deep center field, clearing the bases and restoring the lead to the Bombers. Broady came around to score on an error later in the inning, providing the final 11-9 margin.
     With the win, the Bombers record is over.500 for the first time this season at 16-15. Their ninth win in 12 games pulls them within two games of the second-place Hoppers with nine games remaining in the regular season.