Mike Vukovcan RACOON TOWNSHIP- While we’re still in the middle of High School, Freshman League and Middle School baseball, another baseball league opened up tonight for our Hopewell players.
Tonight was the season opener for Hopewell in the 376 Western Pennsylvania Pony League. This season because of the number of participants, Hopewell will be fielding two teams- one coached by Jared Reed and the other by Chip Hoffman.
Hopewell will be looking to defend the Pony League Championship, which last season, coached by Jamie Yurcina, they won against Freedom.
Tonight, Coach Reed’s team was in action as they hosted a team from Blackhawk (Team Haberman).
Good pitching always gives you a chance to win and that’s what Hopewell got tonight from Jaxsen Covalt, Richard Kurtz and Andrew Arzberger, which allowed them to come away with a 7-6 victory.
Covalt got the start and went the first 3 innings, allowing only 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 1 walk and struck out 5 batters. Kurtz relived him and pitched the 4th and 5th innings, allowing 4 hits, 5 runs (only 3 earned runs), 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. The Vikings staff called up Arzberger to close things out and that’s exactly what he did. Andrew pitched 2 innings, allowing 0 hits, 1 run (0 earned runs), 1 walk and struck out 4 batters.
GAME RECAP:
*In the top of the 1st, Blackhawk got runners to 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs, but Covalt stood strong by getting the 3rd out on a ground ball to Ethan Adams at 2nd base.
*In the top of the 2nd, Blackhawk once again got a runner to 3rd with 2 outs but once again Covalt escaped by not allowing a run as he struck out the Blackhawk batter.
*Hopewell scored on a passed ball and went to the top of the 3rd with a 1-0 lead. Covalt made quick work of the Cougars as he set them down 1-2-3.
*Hopewell were able to get plenty of breathing room in the bottom of the 3rd as they scored 3 runs. The big hits were a 2-run double by Kurtz, followed by an RBI double by Arzberger. Hopewell now led 4-0.
*Blackhawk didn’t flinch and went on to score the next 5 runs of the game and took a 5-4 lead going to the bottom of the 5th.
*Hopewell immediately responded in the bottom of the inning as they were able to bring in 3 runs all with 2 out. With runners at 2nd and 3rd, Arzberger singled to left field to score Adams, and the game was now tied at 5. Hopewell then took the lead as Covalt scored on a wild pitch, followed by an RBI single by Logan Sweesy which scored Arzberger. Hopewell led 7-5.
*Arzberger came on in the bottom of the 6th inning and set Blackhawk down in order 1-2-3. Then in the final frame, things got interesting as a couple Hopewell errors allowed Blackhawk to score a run to make it 7-6. Blackhawk was in position to tie the game or take the lead as they had runners at 1st and 2nd with just 1 out, but Arzberger ended their hopes but ending the game with consecutive strikeouts.
FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 7 BLACKHAWK 7
WINNING IS FUN!!!
