Mike Vukovcan As the regular season is close to wrapping up, it’s been a good week for Hopewell’s two Pony League team.
Team Hoffman remains unbeaten as they currently sit 11-0 with 2 games remaining. If they win tonight against Blackhawk/DeChicko, Team Hoffman will clinch the regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in the 376 Western PA Pony League playoffs.
Established in 1986, family owned and serving the Beaver County community for over 40 years. Serving breakfast favorites and lunch specials.
Team Dunn has a record of 4-5-2 but have won 4 of their last 5 games, the only loss coming against Team Hoffman.
Here’s a look at the updated standings with the top five teams heading into tonight’s action.
376 WESTERN PA PONY LEAGUE
Hopewell/Team Hoffman: 11-0
Riverside/Giles: 11-2
Blackhawk/DeChicko: 7-2-1
New Brighton/Rosalinds: 7-3
Ambridge: 6-5
Here’s a recap of Team Hoffman’s and Team Dunn’s games from earlier this week:
HOPEWELL’S/TEAM HOFFMAN:
TEAM HOFFMAN had another nail-biter on Wednesday as they took on Ambridge. On Monday, the Vikings had to go to extra innings before defeating Blackhawk, 10-8, and their next game against Ambridge was also challenging.
Ambridge jumped ahead 6-2 in the bottom of the 4th inning before Hopewell got things together and went on to score the next 8 runs in the game.
The late inning story line of this game was the job Vin Smetana did on the mound in relief of Channing Yesionek.
Because of the number of games played this week and what’s ahead, HC Chip Hoffman called up Smetana to not only give him inning but more importantly, to keep their perfect season intact.
Despite not having pitched much this season, Smetana took the mound and pitched 3 scoreless innings, allowing just 1 hit, 0 runs, 2 walks and struck out 7 batters.
Hopewell took the lead in the bottom of the 5th inning as they posted 3 runs, the first of which came on an RBI single by Austin Gallagher. The next two runs scored on bases loaded walks to Nico Yannessa and Connor Reed.
Gallagher was the big bat in the Hopewell lineup this game as he went 3-for-3 with 2 runs, and 3 RBIs.
HOPEWELL’S TEAM DUNN:
We have two games to get you caught up on with TEAM DUNN, the first of which took place on Wednesday as they played Beaver/Team Marino.
This was a back-and-forth contest all game as Hopewell raced out to an 8-2 lead before Beaver chipped away and eventually tied the game in the bottom of the 5th inning.
Then in the top of the 6th, Ryder Kostrick was the hero as he belted a 3-run (over the fence) HR to center field, which was the game-winner as Team Dunn won 11-8.
Courtesy Annie Mancos
For the game, Kostrick went 2-3 with 3 runs, a walk and 3 RBIs. Wade Enders and Colby Cunningham also had big games, as Enders was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI and Cunninham was 2-for-4, with a run and 2 RBI.
Then last night, Team Dunn took on another team from Beaver, but this game wasn’t as close as the Vikings won 12-2.
The duo of Enders and Kostrick got the job done on the mound as each pitcher went 3 innings.
Enders started and worked 3 innings, allowing just 2 hits, 1 earned run, 3 walks and 7 K’s. Kostrick took over in the 4th and went 3 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk and 9 strikeouts.
Offensively, Hopewell collected 12 hits as Connor Eiler led the way by going 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
Enders, David Johnson and Mason Santamaria each had 2 hits apiece with Johnson collecting 3 RBIs from the leadoff spot.
