The Bowling Green Hot Rods are on the doorstep of another championship after a 5-1 win over Hudson Valley in Game 1 of the South Atlantic League Championship series on Sunday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Bowling Green got more strong work from its pitching staff and just enough offense from a 16-hit barrage to secure a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series and wrap up the home portion of the 2024 season with a win.

The Hot Rods are now one win away from a third title in four seasons and the fourth title overall for the franchise.

“We did what we were supposed to do,” BG manager Rafael Valenzuela said. “A phenomenal job by the pitching staff today. We are set up nicely going up, obviously with the mentality of taking it pitch by pitch and we will see what happens.”

Hudson Valley took a 1-0 lead on the third pitch of the game, a solo homer from leadoff hitter Roc Rogio – which would be the Renegades’ only hit of the day.

Starter Brody Hopkins set the tone, striking out seven batter over five innings to earn the win. T.J. Fondtain tossed two scoreless innings, with Derrick Eddington and Drew Sommers finishing it out with a scoreless inning each.

The Bowling Green staff has allowed three runs total in three postseason games.

“They’ve gone out and thrown strikes,” Valenzuela said. “They’ve attacked hitters and they always give us a chance to come back offensively. Hopefully, we keep it going up north and maybe we will bring a championship back to Bowling Green.”

While Hudson Valley’s offense was held in check, the Hot Rods’ bats threatened all day and steadily pulled away.

Bowling Green tied the score on a two-out RBI double from Mac Horvath in the bottom of the first, the start of a big day for Horvath.

In his next at-bat, Horvath homered to left to give BG a 2-1 lead in the third. Bowling Green added two more in the fifth when Horvath tripled and scored on a pinch-hit, two-run homer by Aiden Smith.

The Hot Rods added an RBI double from Hunter Haas in the seventh to cap the scoring.

The only drama left was Horvath, who flirted with the franchise’s first cycle. He was a single shy of the feat after five innings and got two chances, but flew out to right in the sixth with the infield in and a flew out to left in the eighth.

“I definitely wanted to get it,” Horvath said. “(Hopkins) was telling me to bunt. I didn’t really want to bunt. I just wanted to get a base hit. It’s something I haven’t done yet. Hopefully someday I get it. It would be a cool little accomplishment, but we got the win so it is all good.”

Horvath was one of four Hot Rods to record a three-hit day – joined by Haas, Gregory Barrios and Noah Myers.

“I think winning that first game is huge in any series,” Horvath said. “Being able to win at home in front of the fans, having it be the only game they get to see of this series in person at least (was big). It’s definitely a big advantage. Hopefully we go there and finish it off.”

UP NEXT

The series moves to Hudson Valley for Game 2 at 5:35 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, needing one win to clinch the title. Right-hander Chandler Murphy is scheduled to start for the Hot Rods, with righty Josh Grosz scheduled to start for the Renegades.

If Hudson Valley can win on Tuesday, the winner-take-all Game 3 is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. CDT on Wednesday in Hudson Valley with right-hander Jackson Baumeister the scheduled starter for the Hot Rods and right-hander Trent Sellers the scheduled starter for the Renegades.

“We always talk about it in spring training about the development, but we always say that good development leads to a lot of wins,” Valenzuela said. “Credit to the staff, credit to the players for buying into getting better every day.”{&end}