In the Kokomo Jackrabbits final game of a four game series between the Royal Oak Leprechauns, the Jackrabbits fell 12-2 at home on Monday. 

Kokomo dropped three out of four games against Royal Oak, with their lone win of the young season still standing as a 7-3 road victory on May 31st. The Leprechauns offense proved to be too much for Kokomo yet again, totaling 13 hits while scoring in six straight innings.

The reign of terror from Royal Oak’s offense stretched from the second inning to the seventh, recording all 12 runs in that span. 

“In the second inning, we started off looking good. It was 0-0 and then Connor [Throneberry] came out and was having some control issues,” Jackrabbits manager Johnston Hobbs said. “Then we started giving up single after single, double after double, and they were just finding the barrel.” 

The true turning point in the game came in the fourth inning when the Leprechauns added five runs to take an 8-0 lead. It started with a leadoff single by Riley Frost, sparking the rally. Later in the inning, Royal Oak loaded the bases, and Kokomo’s starter Connor Throneberry threw three consecutive wild pitches during Ryan McKay’s at-bat, allowing three runs to score.

In response to Royal Oak’s five-run inning, Butler University product and current Jackrabbit David Ayers hit a solo home run to left, making it an 8-1 game after four innings. Ayers’ solo shot was Kokomo’s first hit of the game and provided a much-needed energy boost from the home crowd.

Royal Oak’s offense continued as Ryan McKay’s fielder’s choice added another run in the fifth. The Leprechauns’ onslaught persisted into the seventh, with Jack Boike scoring on another Kokomo wild pitch, followed by Cam Hollobaugh driving in an RBI single to make it 12-1 after seven innings.

In the eighth, Kokomo’s Ray Rivera roped an RBI double to right, scoring the last run of the game for either side. 

The Kokomo Jackrabbits, now at 1-7, will return to Kokomo Municipal Stadium to begin a four-game series against the Kalamazoo Growlers on Wednesday, June 5th, at 7:05 p.m.