Mike Vukovcan HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP– The Hopewell 12-year-old All-Star team started action today in their home tournament, which will be their games played at the Kane Road Complex.
The mission for this talented team is simple- to win the tournament and hold the winning trophy on Sunday night.
Things got off to a promising start as Hopewell opened played today with a 11-10 win over Blackhawk, followed by a 12-4 win over Moon.
HOPEWELL VS. BLACKHAWK RECAP:
The name of the game in this game was offense as both teams’ bats were hot, but Hopewell got just enough pitching and defense to come out with the win. Credit Blackhawk as they were able to hit 3 homeruns as the wind was blowing out at the Kane Road Fields!
Bottom of 1st: Blackhawk scored a run in the top of the 1st, but Hopewell was able to answer with 2 runs. Wes Gigliotti led off Hopewell’s first inning with a single and then scored on an RBI double by Rhett Rankin. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Rankin scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Wade Enders. Hopewell led 2-1.
Top of 2nd: Kruz Krotec dominated in the second inning as he struck out the side and needed just 11 pitches to do it.
**Hopewell scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 2nd on wild pitches but Blackhawk was able to answer with 3 runs. Game tied at 4.
Bottom of 3rd: The turning point of the game was in the bottom of the 3rd as Hopewell put up 6 runs.
Gigliotti and Rankin reached base to start the inning and after a double steal, Hopewell had runners at 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs. Gigliotti was the first to score as he came home on a wild pitch. Rilynn Davis and Henry Dunn both singled and both scored on a 2-run double by Austin Gallagher, Hopewell led 7-4. Later in inning, Colby Cunningham singled in Elliott Mancos to make it 8-4, which was followed by a 2-run single by Brandon Cecchini, Hopewell led 10-4.
Top of 4th: Blackhawk wouldn’t go away and came back with 5 runs of their own and were looking to tie the game. However, Dunn ended that threat by turning a double play, which was huge. Hopewell 10-9.
Bottom of 4th: Hopewell was able to score a critical run in the bottom of the inning as Mancos drew a bases loaded walk with 2 outs to score Rankin. Hopewell now led 11-9.
Top of 5th: Mancos pitched the 5th inning and did a fantastic job. Elliott started out by recording a strikeout and then got a ground ball out to Gigliotti at second base. Blackhawk hit a homerun to make the score 11-10 and the next batter reached on an error. However, great defense by Hopewell ended the game. With a runner at 1st, Blackhawk’s next hitter hit a single to left and the runner at first tried to advance to third base, but Gallagher fielded the ball and threw a strike to Enders at third base, who put on the tag. GAME OVER!
FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 11 BLACKHAWK 10
Hopewell vs. Moon Recap-
This was a lot less stressful game as the Hopewell bats were lethal, going on to collect 12 hits, including 3 homeruns. A tip of the cap to Wade Enders with led the way with 2 long home runs as did Henry (Not Davis) Dunn! Nice job guys. What a memory in one of their final home games.
Hopewell’s Wade Enders
Hopewell’s Henry Dunn
Dunn paced Hopewell with 3 hits, followed by Gallagher with 2 hits, Colby Cunningham with 2 hits, Kruz Krotec with 2 hits and Enders with 2 hits. In terms of RBIs, Gallagher led with way with 4, Enders had 3, Cunningham with 2 and Krotec, Eli Seech and Dunn each with one.
Moon took a 2-0 lead in the first, but Hopewell then scored the 12 runs of the game.
Hopewell’s Pitching Line:
Enders: 2.2 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks and 4 strikeouts.
Hopewell’s Rilynn Davis
Rilynn Davis: 2 innings, 3 hits, 2 runs and 3 strikeouts.
Gigliotti: .1 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs.
FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 12 MOON 4
Hopewell’s first opponent tomorrow in bracket play will by Ambridge. That game will start at 2 PM.
