The Prairie du Chien Grasshoppers senior legion team traveled to Westby last Monday, July 13 for a rematch with a Westby/Coon Valley team that had defeated the Hoppers by the score of 16 to 1 eight days prior. The originally scheduled doubleheader was changed to just one game due to weather.

Both teams were held scoreless until the top of the fifth inning when the Hoppers got a two-out RBI single from Carter Copsey that scored Drave Moris to take a 1-0 lead. The Bandits rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 2-1 lead into the seventh inning. PdC would produce their own two-run rally in the top of the seventh inning thanks to a passed ball that scored Brady Lenzendorf and a sacrifice fly by Copsey that scored Carter Tonne. The Hoppers managed to work around two singles and an intentional walk in the bottom of the seventh inning to claim the 3-2 win and give the Bandits their second loss of the season.

Alan Hernandez got the start on the pitcher’s mound for the Hoppers and went the distance, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts in the complete game victory. The Hoppers offense had five hits in the win, with Copsey (1-for-3) collecting two RBIs and Tonne, Moris and Brady Lenzendorf each scoring a run.

The Hoppers were back on the road last Thursday, July 16 when they traveled to Stoddard, the site of this year’s regional tournament. PdC got on the scoreboard first with one run in the top of the second inning thanks to a two-out double by Brady Lenzendorf that scored Westin Marx. The hosts would answer with two runs in the bottom half of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead into the third inning. It was all Prairie du Chien from then on as the Hoppers scored twice in the third inning, seven times in the fourth inning and twice in the top of the sixth inning as PdC defeated Stoddard Post 315 12-2 in six innings.

Copsey (two runs allowed (one earned) on three hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 4.0 innings pitched) started and earned the win on the mound for Prairie du Chien. He was relieved by Blake Reynolds (zero runs on zero hits and zero walks with one strikeout in 1.0 inning pitched) and Marx (zero runs on zero hits and one walk with two strikeouts in 1.0 inning pitched).

Prairie du Chien produced 12 runs on 10 hits in the win, including multi-hit games from Marx (3-for-3 with one walk, two runs scored and three RBIs), Cael Koenig (2-for-3 with a double, one walk, two runs scored and one RBI), Bryce Lenzendorf (2-for-3 with one walk, two runs scored and one RBI) and Brady Lenzendorf (2-for-3 with two doubles, one walk, one run scored and one RBI).

The Hoppers ended the week with a home doubleheader against Viroqua this past Sunday afternoon. Game one saw Viroqua score twice in the second inning, once in the fifth and once in the sixth inning to take a 4-0 lead before the Hoppers scored once in the bottom of the sixth inning as Viroqua would hold on for the 4-1 win.

Hernandez (three runs (three earned) allowed on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched) took the loss for the Hoppers. Jack Simmons (one run allowed (zero earned) on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts pitched the final two innings for PdC.

The Hoppers offense was held to four hits in the loss, with Bryce Lenzendorf (2-for-3 with one walk and one run scored) having PdC’s only multi-hit game.

Game two was also won by Viroqua by the score of 6 to 1 in five innings. The visitors scored five runs in the third inning and once in the fourth inning to take a 6-0 lead before PdC managed to put one run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth.

Marx (five runs allowed (one earned) on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched) took the loss for the Hoppers. Moris (one run allowed (one earned) on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 2.1 innings pitched) finished the game on the mound for PdC.

Copsey (1-for-3) had the Hoppers only hit of the game, while Moris scored the teams only run and Tonne collected the only RBI of the game.

Prairie du Chien (8-9) was scheduled to end the regular season this past Monday evening by hosting a doubleheader with Fennimore (depending on weather). The Hoppers begin Class A regional play this Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. against the Gays Mills Grizzlies at Stoddard Village Park with Fennimore and Stoddard also competing in the regional tournament.