The Fulton Railroaders needed extra innings at Elmer Kelley Stadium on Saturday night to down the Miners 4-3 and force Game Three in Round Two of the best-of-three playoff series.
The game was scoreless until Fulton broke through with two runs in the top of the fourth inning off Miner starter Cameron Smith. Tyler Hilton led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Drew Greenwood. After Kipp Moore reached on a walk, Jacob Elliott advanced both runners with a fly ball to center field. Clay Reece then drove in both runs with line drive single. The Railroaders extended the lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth inning on a home run by Kyle Uhrich off Smith.
Yancey Pritchett relieved Smith (5.67 innings, seven hits, 3 runs, 3 earned runs, five walks, three strikeouts) with two outs in the top of the sixth inning and shut the Railroaders down for the next 4.33 innings.
The Miners scrapped their way back into the ballgame, picking up one run a piece in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings to send the game into extra frames. In the seventh, Cory Finkler scored from third base on a throwing error by Railroader catcher Kipp Moore. In the eighth, Nolan Ramsey drove in JD Minor with a ground out to first base. And, in the ninth, Andrew Tanous singled off Railroader reliever Kyle Hestand (who replaced starter Charlie Hecht to start the inning) to drive in Shane Connahan and tie the ballgame.
Hecht pitched eight complete innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on nine hits, one walk, and five strikeouts.
Fulton took the lead 4-3 in the top of the eleventh inning after Pritchett (4.33 innings, 2 hits, no runs, two walks, five strikeouts) was lifted for Colton Nussell. Jacob Elliott got the inning started with a double, and Clay Reece followed by reaching base on a throwing error by Miner shortstop JD Minor. Elliott scored on the play to put Fulton ahead.
After the Miners ended the top of the inning with no further damage done, Estand (3 innings pitched, 1 run, 1 earned run, three hits, no walks or strikeouts) kept Madisonville off the board in the bottom of the frame to pick up the win and extend the series to Game Three.
The official OVL box score is available HERE. The unofficial iScore scorecard is available here: FUL@MAD July 25 scorecard. The unofficial iScore pitch-by-pitch summary is available here: FUL@MAD July 25 pitchbypitch.
Game Three will Sunday night at Elmer Kelley Stadium in Madisonville and will get underway at 6pm Central Time. The winner will advance to the OVL Championship Series and will face the winner of Game Three of the Dubois County/Hoptown series. The Championship Series will get underway on Tuesday night, July 28.
