Hoots Start Second Half With Loss

Harms hits solo shot for team leading fifth home run

The O’Fallon Hoots (15-13, 0-1) started the second half of the 2023 season Monday night with a trip to the Thrillville Thrillbillies (13-13, 1-0). It was a complete game from the Thrillbillies, who defeated the Hoots 8-3. 

Inside the Box Score 

• Nick Harms took sole possession of O’Fallon’s top home run hitter when he hit his fifth of the season in the top of the eighth. 
• Maloy Heaghney was the only Hoot to have a multi-hit game, going 2-3 at the plate and plating a run. 
• Matthew Arnold drove in the other O’Fallon run.
• Tyson Ludwig stole two bases.

How it Happened

• Thrillville struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Cole Smith led off with a double before swiping third base. Jackson Cooke then singled to score Smith and Thrillville’s first run, making it 1-0. 
• O’Fallon was able to muster a response right away. In the top of the third, with Tyson Ludwig in scoring position, Maloy Heaghney knocked an RBI single into right field to score his teammate and tie the game at 1-1.
• The tie would not last long. In the bottom half of the third, Josh Griffin led off with an infield single. Two batters later, Jackson Lindsey hit a two-run homer to right field to retake the lead for Thrillville, 3-1. Then, with runners in the corners, Michael Mylott singled to score Jackson McCoy and increase the lead to 4-1. 
• In the bottom of the fourth, with two men in scoring position, Smith gathered two RBIs with a single to right, setting the score at 6-1. 
• The Hoots got one run back in the fifth. Ludwig walked to lead things off, then managed to steal both second and third base. Matthew Arnold grounded out, but did so while scoring Ludwig and cutting into Thrillville’s lead, 6-2. 
• More Thrillville insurance came in the eighth. With the bags full, McCoy singled to drive two runs in and further the Thrillville lead to six, 8-2. 
• Nick Harms got the Hoots back within five in the eighth thanks to a solo shot to right field, but this was as far as the O’Fallon comeback would make it, with the Hoots coming up short, 8-3.

Up Next

The Hoots will spend July 4 enjoying the holiday with a day off. They resume action Wednesday, July 5, with a rematch against the Thrillbillies, this time at CarShield Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CST, and coverage can be found at ofallonhoots.com, as well as the team’s Twitter (@ofallonbaseball) and Instagram (ofallonhoots).