Baseball is not always just about hits. Sometimes it is about timely hits. Friday at Cumby, the North Hopkins Panthers outhit the Trojans 8 to 4 but still came out on the short end of a 4-3 score. Cumby scored a run in the bottom of the first to lead, 1-0. The Panthers tied the game with a run in the top of the third. Cumby added two runs in the bottom of the fourth and a single run in the bottom of the fifth to lead 4-1. A North Hopkins rally in the top of the seventh produced two runs but that was all as Cumby got a 4-3 win. The Panthers had three errors and they left nine runners on base. Cumby had one error and they left five men on base. Caleb Wyatt for North Hopkins allowed only two earned runs and struck out four but took the loss. Elmer Rodriguez pitched all seven innings for Cumby and got the win allowing eight hits but only one earned run while striking out six. Victor Rojo for North Hopkins was 3 for 4 with a double. Javier Rojo was 2 for 3. Wyatt Wharton, Chase Williams and Colton Ross added singles for North Hopkins. The Panthers got stolen bases from Brycen Gillespie with two and Victor Rojo and Javier Rojo with one apiece. For Cumby, Braden Coble was 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. Cole Sprague and Austin Thomas hits doubles. Sprague scored a run and had an RBI and Thomas had 2 RBIs. The Trojans got steals from R.J. Valentine with two and also from Ethan and Braden Coble and from Sprague and Jake Petty. The two teams play again Monday afternoon in North Hopkins.
