Hopewell Youth Baseball

The Hopewell 8-Year-Old All-Star team almost did it but ultimately came up just short.

Regardless of the final outcome, it was a tremendous day of baseball for the players on the team.

In order to win the Ambridge All-Star Tournament, the Vikings would need to win 3 games on Sunday.

They started the day by defeating Moon 14-11, a team they lost to 13-4 on Saturday, Next up, the Vikings soundly defeated North Fayette 15-7. Then onto the championship game where they took on a very talented Ambridge team, that’s done plenty of winning over the last couple of seasons.

These two teams matched up last weekend in the Hopewell All-Star Tournament and the Bridgers got the best of them by the score of 15-5. Yesterday, Ambridge came out on top again, but it was much closer as Hopewell showed grit and plenty of improvement, ultimately losing by the score of 12-10.

Earlier on Sunday, Vikings Sports Now reported on the win over Moon. In case you missed it, here’s the recap.

Huge BounceBack Win for Hopewell 8-Year-Old All-Stars in Bracket Play

Highlights of Win over North Fayette:
This was the ultimate team win as the Vikings stockpiled an amazing 30 hits in this game. Consider this, seven players in the Hopewell lineup had 3 hits apiece, while one had 4! That’s production.

Hudson Lavia led the way with 4 hits, while Grayden McNally, Declan Rinaldi, Coleson Orie, Brody Tournay, August Arostegui, Mason Thumm and Cam Winiarski all collected 3 hits apiece. Trent Michael and Harper Lavia both had 2 hits apiece. Thumm picked up two doubles, while McNally had one.

In terms of RBI getters, Thumm led Hopewell with 4, while Rinaldi, Orie and Tournay each picked up 2 and McNally, Arostegui, Hudson Lavia, Winiarski and Obie DeCanio each had 1.

This was a relatively close game until the 4th inning and that’s when Hopewell’s bats exploded for 5 runs and they took a 12-3 lead.

FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 15 NORTH FAYETTE 7

Highlights of Championship Game vs. Ambridge:
To beat this Ambridge team, Hopewell was going to need to play a near perfect game and make plays on defense to limit big innings for the Bridgers offense.

While 30 hits like last game was too much to ask for 8-year-olds, Hopewell would need to be able to pound out hits.

Hopewell did the second thing as they out-hit Ambridge, 23-21. In terms of limit the big innings, they nearly did that, but Ambridge scored 6 runs in the 1st inning which was too much for Hopewell to overcome.

This was a tremendous championship game and Hopewell showed plenty of character by continuing to respond to the punches they were receiving from Ambridge.

After the Bridgers scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 1st, Hopewell responded with 4 runs of their own in the top of the second. Then after holding the Bridgers scoreless in the bottom of the 3rd, Hopewell tied the game at 9 as they put up 4 runs in the top of the 4th inning.

Ambridge then scored 1 in the bottom of the 4th and 2 in the bottom of the 5th to take a 3-run lead. Hopewell attempted to tie things up in the final inning and did score a run and had the tying runner at the plate but came up short.

Going inside the Hopewell box score- Orie, Harper Lavia and Tournay paced the team with 3 hits apiece. McNally, DeCanio, Thumm, Hudson Lavia, Trent Michael and Olton Eiler each picked up 2 hits apiece.

McNally drove in 3 runs for the Vikings, while Hudson Lavia picked up 2 and Michael, Tournay, Orie and Rinaldi all had one in the game.

Five Hopewell players had extra base hits as Michael clubbed a triple, while Tournay, Orie, Hudson Lavia and Winiarski each had a double.

FINAL SCORE: AMBRIDGE 12 HOPEWELL 10

This was the final All-Star Tournament this summer for this 8-year-old team as they finished with a winning record. Great job and progression with this group and the future certainly is bright.

2025 Hopewell 8-Year-Old All-Star Team

A shoutout to the coaches for the time and work they put in with this group- Ryan Rinaldi, Tyler Tournay, Jon Lavia and DJ Thumm.

For the first time this All-Star season, the Hopewell 9-Year-Old All-Stars reached the championship game but unfortunately they came up just short.

The Vikings started the day by beating Seneca Valley in the semifinals before losing to Blackhawk in the finals.

Hopewell vs. Seneca Valley Recap:

*Top 2nd- The game was tied at 1 going to the top of the second. Jordan Peck was on the mound and had an easy time of things. Peck got the first two outs via ground balls and the final out with a strikeout.

*Bottom 2nd- Hopewell then broke things open in the second. With 1 out, Quinn Zappa reached on an infield single which was followed by a single by Deacon Ankrom. DJ Towler then stepped to the plate and after fouling the first pitch off, Towler hammered a ball over the center field fence for a 3-run HR. Hopewell led 4-1.

Hopewell wasn’t done. Tristyn Trkulja drew a walk and immediately scored as Michael Kurta ripped a triple to left field. Hopewell then scored 2 more runs as Viking batters drew four straight walks, the final two by Jonah Honess and Aaron Ackerman. Hopewell led 7-1.

Top 3rd- The rest of the game was all about Hopewell’s pitching. Ackerman took over in the 3rd and recorded two of the three outs via strikeout.

Top 5th- Brody Benson took over in the 5th and had no problems. Out No. 1 came on a comebacker to the mound that Benson fielded. After giving up a walk, Brody struck out the next batter and got the final out on a fly out to Trkulja in center.

Top 6th- Benson started the inning with recording a strikeout. Honess then replaced him on the mound and got the final two outs of the game on a fielders choice and a strikeout.

Final: Hopewell 7 Seneca Valley 1 

Hopewell vs. Blackhawk Championship Game: 

This was a tight game through 4 innings as Hopewell held a 3-2 lead. In the top of the 5th, Blackhawk pulled away by scoring 6 runs and Hopewell couldn’t recover.

The two bats in Hopewell’s lineup were Honess with 3 RBI and Peck with 2 hits.

Trailing 8-4 in the last inning, Hopewell tried to make a comeback.

Peck led off the inning with an infield single to third, which was followed by a single by Benson. With runners at 1st and 3rd, Honess then reached on an error which brought in Peck and Benson.  Hopewell now trailed 8-5.

However, Blackhawk recorded the next 3 Hopewell batters on fielder choices and that was the game.

Final: Blackhawk 8 Hopewell 5

A week after suffering a tough loss against Moon in the Central Valley Tournament, the Hopewell 11-Year-Old All-Star team suffered another frustrating loss this afternoon in the Ambridge Tournament.

The Vikings battled Ellwood City for 6 innings but came up short in the final frame and lost, 12-10.

This group of talented kids is so close and will eventually get over the hump. This game went back and forth the entire way as they were two evenly matched teams.

Hopewell led 3-1 after one, the game was tied at 5 after two, Ellwood led 8-7 after four and Hopewell tied things up at 8 after five.

RBI getters for Hopewell were Jaxson Heppner, Reagan Harring, Gannon McNally, Zac Seech and Declan Lavia.

Hopewell totaled 8 hits today and were paced by Harring with 2.

ECONOMY– The Hopewell 8-Year-Old All-Star team entered bracket play in the Ambridge All-Star Tournament with a record of 1-1.

Their first opponent this morning in the quarterfinals was a rematch against Moon. On paper, this looked like a tough matchup for Hopewell considering Moon defeated them yesterday, 13-4.

But as the saying goes, ‘That’s why they play the game on the field and not on paper”.

Led by tremendous hitting from everyone in the lineup, Hopewell banged out collected 22 hits and defeated Moon this morning, 14-11.

Moon was leading 7-6 going to the 4th inning and that’s when the game changed as Hopewell put up 6 runs in the top of the 4th inning to take control of the game.

Congratulations to Brody Tournay, who clubbed a deep home run to centerfield in the 5th inning for the Vikings. This was Tournay’s 6th home run this All-Star season for Hopewell. I saw Brody play every game last season and you saw the raw power that he possessed. A year later and after plenty of work in the off-season, Brody has put everything together and is a name to watch for the future.

INSIDE HOPEWELL’S BOX SCORE:
*Grayden McNally, Declan Rinaldi and Cam Winiarski led the way with 3 hits apiece. Winiarski continues to swing the bat well as yesterday, he hit his first home run. Five Hopewell players had 2 hits apiece this morning- Harper Lavia, Colton Eiler, Obie DeCanio, August Arostegui and Tournay.

*The RBI getters against Moon were- Tournay with 4, McNally with 2, Eiler with 2 and Rinaldi, Orie, Arostegui, DeCanio, Harper Lavia and Winiarski each with 1.

McNally did a tremendous job from the leadoff spot going 3 for 3, with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs. Grayden is another player I’m very familiar with and the best way to describe him is a ‘Gamer”.  Very fundamentally sound, hits to the gaps and most importantly, a complete team player.

The Hopewell 8-year-old team advances to the semifinals where they’ll take on North Fayette at 12:30 PM.

AMBRIDGE– What a day for the three Hopewell All-Star teams what were participating in the Ambridge All-Star Tournament.

Not only were they undefeated but five different Hopewell batters hit over the fence homeruns, the youngest of which being 8-year-old Cam Winiarski.

This was Cam’s first over the fence homerun and the best part was that it was part of a 19-9 win over South Fayette.

By the way, the other Hopewell home run hitters on Saturday were Kruz Krotec (2 HR’s), Rhett Rankin, Henry Dunn and Owen McGovern.

Winiarski wasn’t the only player on his team hitting as the Hopewell 8-year-old team collected 25 hits in their lopsided victory. The impressive part was that Hopewell combined for 11 extra-base hits. Hopewell banged out 10 doubles- Brody Tournay (2), Mason Thumm (2), August Arostegi, Coleson Orie, Colton Eiler, Declan Rinaldi, Hudson Lavia and Trent Michael.

The 19 RBIs were collected by Winiarski’s 5, Arostegi, Tournay and Obie DeCanio each with 3, Orie and Eiler with 2 and 1 by Rinaldi.

South Fayette scored five runs in the top of the 1st but Hopewell went on to score 6 runs in 3 of the next 4 innings.

This 8-year-old team will enter bracket play tomorrow with a matchup against Moon at 9:30 AM.

Good luck Vikings!

AMBRIDGE– It was an impressive start to the Ambridge All-Star Tournament for the Hopewell 9-Year-Old Team.

With two games on the schedule today, things started with a matchup this morning against Seneca, in which Hopewell showed plenty of character.

HOPEWELL VS. SENECA VALLEY:

Trailing 8-0 going to the top of the 5th inning, Hopewell made a tremendous comeback and finished the game with an 8-8 tie.

Maddox Kennedy led off the 5th by reaching on an error, which was followed by a single to center field by Quinn Zappas. After both runners advanced on a wild pitch, Zappas and Kennedy then scored on another error by SV on a ball hit by Deacon Ankrom. After a walk to DJ Towler, Michael Kurta grounded out to short but on the play, both Ankrom and Towler both scored to make the score 8-4.

The inning continued as Jordan Peck then singled on a fly ball to left field with 2 outs, which was followed by a walk to Brody Benson. Jonah Honess then stepped to the plate and clubbed a trip to left field, scoring Benson and Peck. Because of a 6-run scoring limit, the inning ended with Hopewell trailing 8-6.

With 1 on and 1 out, Honess came in to relieve Aaron Ackerman, which pitched a solid 3 innings, allowing just 2 runs and striking out 4 batters. After taking over, Honess went on to strike out the next two batters, which gave Hopewell a chance to either tie or take the lead.

In the Top of the 6th, with 1 out, Bennett Beron reached on an infield single. Next up, Kennedy hit the ball in play and reached on an error by the SV third baseman. Hopewell then tied the game as Ankrom doubled to center field, bringing in both Beron and Kennedy.

With no extra innings, Hopewell needed to record 3 outs in order to preserve a tie and that’s exactly what they did, but it wasn’t easy.

Two runners for Seneca Valley reached with 1 out and they attempted to push the issue. SV attempted a double-steal, but Hopewell’s catcher DJ Towler was up to the task as he gunned the runner out at third base. The game then ended as Honess fielded a ground ball back to the mound and threw over to first base.

FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 8 SENECA VALLEY 8

HOPEWELL VS. BLACKHAWK: 

Game two wasn’t nearly as challenged as Hopewell jumped out to an early 6-1 lead and never looked back. The Vikings out-hit Blackhawk 14-3 and went on to a 12-4 victory.

Jordan Peck got the start for the 9-year-old team and went the first two innings giving up just 1 hit, 1 run, while striking out 3 batters. Aaron Ackerman pitched the next two plus innings and was fantastic, surrendering only a single, no runs and striking out 5 batters.

Taking a look at the Vikings Box Score: Jordan Peck, Brody Benson, Jonah Honess, Ackerman and Tristyn Trkulja all collected 2 hits apiece. The top 4 hitters in Hopewell’s lineup (Peck, Benson, Honess and Ackerman) went 8 for 15, with 8 runs and 4 RBIs.

SCORING SUMMARY-
Top of 1st: After jumping to a 1-0, Hopewell added two more runs on 2-run single by Maddox Kennedy. Then Quinn Zappas followed that up with a 2-run single to center field, scoring Kennedy and Bennett Beron. Hopewell led 5-0 after one inning.

Top of 2nd: After 2 outs, Jonah Honess came up with a clutch RBI single to score Peck and Hopewell led 6-1.

Bottom of 2nd: Pitching with a 5-run lead, Peck had an easy second inning as he struck out two of the three batters that he faced.

Bottom of 3rd: Ackerman relieved Peck in the 3rd inning and was very effective as Aaron struck out two batters. Blackhawk did get a runner to 2nd with 2 out but he was thrown out trying to steal third by Hopewell catcher Maddox Kennedy.

Bottom of 4th: Things started out shaky as Blackhawk’s first two batters reached base, but Ackerman then settled in to clean things up but striking out the side. It helps to get out of jams when you have a fastball that Ackerman possesses.

Top of 5th: Speaking of Ackerman, he led off with 5th with a line drive double to center field and he scored on a 2-out error by Blackhawk. Hopewell led 7-1.

Top of 6th: Hopewell then busted the game wide open with a five run sixth inning. Trkulja started things with a single to left field and after moving up to second on a wild pitch, Tristyn scored on an RBI single by Michael Kurta. Michael moved to second on the throw to the plate and then scored as Peck drove him in with an RBI single. Like Kurta, Peck also moved to second base on the throw and scored as Benson came through with an RBI single. The next Hopewell batter was Honess and he ripped an RBI double to center, scoring Benson. The final run came home on an RBI groundout by Kennedy, which brought in Honess.

FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 12 BLACKHAWK 4 

Hopewell starts the Ambridge Tournament 2-0 and will likely earn either a No. 1 or No. 2 seed tomorrow in bracket play.

Good Luck Hopewell!!