Bootleggers fall to Grasshoppers 7-3

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Jayden Murray struck out a season-high eight batters in the Bowling Green Bootleggers (33-16) loss to the Greensboro Grasshoppers (29-22) by a score of 7-3 on Thursday at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The two teams play the fourth game of a six-game series on Friday with a 6:35 PM CT first pitch.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Bootleggers broke onto the scoreboard against Grasshoppers starter Braxton Ashcraft. Connor Hollis was hit by a pitch to lead off and moved to second on a wild pitch. Hollis advanced to third on a Grant Witherspoon single and, in the next at-bat, Witherspoon stole second base. Blake Hunt hit a ground ball back to the pitcher to bring in Hollis and give the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead.

Bowling Green added onto their lead in the third inning against Ashcraft. With one out, Hollis walked and moved to second on a stolen base. Hunt singled to score Hollis for the second run of the game. This was the second time Hunt knocked in Hollis, this time, to give Bowling Green a 2-0 lead.

The Grasshoppers drove in four unearned runs against Bootleggers starter Jayden Murray in the top of the fourth inning on three hits and two errors. Bowling Green cut into the deficit against Ashcraft in the bottom of the fourth. Jordan Qsar hit a solo homer into the bullpen in left field to cut the lead to 4-3. Two more runs came in for the Grasshoppers in the sixth and one more in the eighth to lead Greensboro to a 7-3 win.

Murray (6-1) tossed five innings, allowing four runs (all unearned) while striking out eight in his first loss of the year. Joe La Sorsa pitched 1.0 inning, giving up three hits leading to two runs and striking out one. Chris Gau hurled 1.2 innings, surrendering two hits and one run while striking out three. Ezequiel Zabaleta pitched the final 1.1 innings while letting up one hit and striking out one.