Drive keeps playoff push going with win at Bowling Green

Bowling Green, KY – For the second straight night, the Greenville Drive and Bowling Green Hot Rods traded punches throughout the early and middle innings. And for the second straight night, the Drive delivered the decisive blows late.

Owen Hull homered and drove in three runs, Luke Heyman launched a three-run homer of his own, and the Drive scored the game’s final three runs to earn a 9-6 victory over the Hot Rods Wednesday night at Bowling Green Ballpark. Greenville finished with 11 hits, including three doubles, a triple and two home runs.

The victory also kept Greenville squarely in the South Atlantic League playoff race. The Drive remain 1½ games behind the Winston-Salem Dash for the South Division’s second playoff spot after Winston-Salem needed 12 innings Wednesday night to defeat the Rome Emperors. With only four games remaining in the regular season, every result continues to carry added weight as Greenville chases a postseason berth.

Bowling Green grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Greenville quickly answered. Isaiah Jackson opened the second with a single before Yophery Rodriguez ripped an RBI double to center, bringing Jackson all the way around to tie the game.

The Drive took their first lead in the third. Jake Schaffner singled and Hull reached on an error, setting the table for Heyman, who crushed a three-run homer to right field for his 14th of the season and a 4-1 Greenville advantage.

The Hot Rods wasted little time responding. Ryan Cermak delivered a three-run homer of his own in the bottom half, knotting the game at 4-4 and continuing the back-and-forth theme that carried over from Tuesday night’s wild series opener.

Greenville reclaimed the lead in the fourth when Antonio Anderson tripled and scored on a Skylar King RBI single. The Drive added another run in the fifth after Jackson doubled and eventually scored on a wild pitch, stretching the advantage to 6-4.

Again, Bowling Green answered. Narciso Polanco doubled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth before Cermak connected for his second homer of the night, a two-run shot that tied the game at 6-6. Cermak accounted for five of the Hot Rods’ six RBI on the night.

But from there, the night belonged to the Drive.

Hull immediately put Greenville back in front in the top of the sixth, launching a solo homer to center field for his third of the season and a 7-6 advantage.

The Drive then gave themselves breathing room in the eighth. Nazzan Zanetello walked and stole second, King singled, and after King swiped second and Schaffner walked to load the bases, Hull ripped a two-run double to right, pushing Greenville’s lead to 9-6. 

While the offense continued to apply pressure, Greenville’s bullpen slammed the door.

Brandon Neely earned the win after working three innings and striking out six, while Joey Gartrell tossed two scoreless innings for his first save. Gartrell faced just six batters and allowed one hit, with the game ending on a 4-6-3 double play.

The Drive and Hot Rods continue their final series of the 2026 regular season Thursday night in Bowling Green.  First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM CT from Bowling Green Ballpark.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.