LEPS STREAK SNAPPED BY HOOVER

CANTON, OH- The Louisville Leopards were edged out by Hoover with a nail-biting 6-5 loss, sealed on a walk-off single by Mirocke in the bottom of the seventh inning.  The loss ends a three-game winning streak put forth by the Leopards.

The Leopards initially grabbed the lead in the second inning, thanks to Zander Triplett’s triple that knocked in two runs and a sac fly by Cooper Rice.

Hoover responded quickly, tying it up at three apiece in the same inning, fueled by Ashby’s clutch double.

The game’s momentum swung back and forth. Hoover nudged ahead 4-3 in the fourth, courtesy of an RBI single from Andes. Not to be outdone, Louisville reclaimed the lead in the sixth as Bryce Graziani laced a single that brought two runners home, pushing the Leopards ahead 5-4.

But Hoover wasn’t finished. Andes stepped up again in the sixth, delivering another single to even the score at five all.

Donaldson pitched well enough to earn the win for Hoover, giving up three runs on three hits over five innings and striking out four. Cole Miller, taking the loss for Louisville, allowed four runs in just over three innings of work.

At the plate, Triplett shined for Louisville, going 2-for-4 and contributing two RBIs, matching Graziani’s output. Meanwhile, Hoover’s lineup saw solid performances from Ashby, Andes, Mirocke, and Donaldson, with each player bagging two hits. Ashby and Andes, in particular, drove in two runs apiece, making key contributions in Hoover’s balanced attack.

Hoover’s aggressive base running paid dividends, swiping four bases, including multiple steals by Ashby and Andes. They also worked the count effectively, drawing eight walks, with Lukens and Andes walking twice.

With a double play to their credit, Hoover’s defense stood strong when it mattered most.

The Leopards are set to regroup and head to Lake for their next matchup on Friday, looking to bounce back from this tough loss.