Kenny Piper hit a game-tying solo homer in the third inning and Carson Williams launched a go-ahead home run in the fourth, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods’ offense was quieted the rest of the way in a 4-2 loss to the Hickory Crawdads on Wednesday at LP Frans Stadium in Hickory, N.C.

The Crawdads (23-32) began the scoring in the bottom of the first against Hot Rods starter Ben Peoples. Geisel Cepeda led off with a single and moved up to second on a groundout. Abimelec Ortiz smacked a base hit to right, scoring Cepeda to put Hickory up 1-0.

Bowling Green (26-28) tied it up in the top of the third off Hickory starter Josh Stephan. Piper rocketed a lead-off solo homer over the left-field wall to make it a 1-1 ballgame.

In the top of the fourth, the Hot Rods took a 2-1 lead on a solo blast off the bat of Williams. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Angel Aponte and Jayce Easley led off with back-to-back singles. After Aponte moved up to third on a sacrifice fly, he scored on an RBI single from Tucker Mitchell to tie the game at 2-2. Mitchell moved up to third on a single from Max Acosta and was plated on a base hit to left from Ortiz, moving the score to 3-2.

Hickory scored again in the bottom of the seventh off Bowling Green reliever Over Galue. Mitchell reached on an error and Acosta singled to put runners on first and second. Cody Freeman notched a base hit to center to score Mitchell and increase the Crawdads lead. The Hot Rods were unable to score in the eighth and ninth, losing to the Crawdads by a score of 4-2.

Stephan (4-3) earned the win, allowing two runs on four hits and 11 strikeouts over six frames. Peoples (2-5) collected the loss, lasting five innings while allowing three runs on eight hits, a walk and tallying four strikeouts. Jackson Kelly completed the save, striking out five over two perfect innings.

The Hot Rods and Crawdads play game three of a six-game series on Thursday with first pitch set for 6 p.m. CT. Bowling Green has yet to announce a starter for Thursday’s matchup, while Hickory is starting left-hander Larson Kindreich (2-4, 5.91).