Mike Vukovcan WASHINGTON– In all sports, some players have the gene of being a clutch performer in crucial situations.
Hopewell senior Kingston Krotec has that quality.
Hopewell softball and youth baseball is sponsored by Lisa McCoy, your neighborhood State Farm agent.
As he’s literally done all season, Krotec took the mound in a ‘must win’ game and threw a masterpiece.
Tonight, in a WPIAL 3rd place game, where the winner advanced to the PIAA playoffs, Krotec threw a complete game shutout, leading Hopewell to a 3-0 win over Derry. The win improves Hopewell’s record to 17-6 and advances them to a PIAA 1st round matchup on Monday against General McLane, champions of District 10.
Krotec pitched 7 innings, allowing 7 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts.
Give credit to the Hopewell defense as they made plays behind their pitcher all evening, who only struck out 3 Derry batters. Tip of the cap to Drew Donovan, who played a great defensive game at shortstop.
Hopewell only collected 5 hits and did all of their damage in the 3rd inning when they struck for 3 runs.
HOPEWELL’S 3 RUN 3RD INNING:
–Donovan led off with a walk, which was followed by a single to right field by Javion Lindsey, who got the start in right field. On the hit, Donovan advanced to 3rd and Lindsey moved to 2nd on the throw to third base.
-Then with runners and 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs, Krotec came through with a clutch 2-run single to center, which brought in Donovan and Lindsey. Hopewell led 2-0.
-Next up, Smetana roped a 1-0 pitch into right field for an RBI double, scoring Krotec and Hopewell led 3-0.
KROTEC AND HIS DEFENSE SHUTTING DOWN DERRY:
-Top 1st: Derry led off the game with a single, but he was quickly erased as Smetana threw Petrosky out trying to steal 2nd base. Then with 2 on and 1 out, the next 2 Derry hitters flew out to James Armstrong in left field and grounded into a fielder’s choice.
-Top 2nd: Derry had 2 runners on with 2 out but the inning ended on a ground out to Payton Korker at third base.
-Top 3rd: A 1-2-3 third inning as outs occurred on ground outs to Donovan, Krotec and a flyout to Ben McDonald in center field.
-Top 4th: Another 1-2-3 inning on a groundout to Donovan, a flyout to Lindsey in right and pop up in foul territory to Logan Triscila.
-Top 5th: Derry led off the inning with a single, but that potential threat ended when the next batter grounded out to Donovan at short, who turned a 6-3 unassisted DP.
-Top 6th: Another easy frame as Donovan took care of another ground ball, followed by a flyout to Lindsey in right and a groundout to Korker to end the inning.
-Top 7th: Krotec, with a low pitch count, came out for the 7th inning looking for 3 outs. After the leadoff Derry batter reached on an error, Krotec went to work. Out #1 came on a fielder’s choice, Donovan flipped to Collin Davis at 2nd. Out #2 was another fielder’s choice, this time Davis to Donovan. Derry then picked up a single, so the potential tying runner came to the plate with 2 outs but not surprisingly, Krotec didn’t blink as he ended the game with a strikeout.
FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 3 DERRY 0
WINNING IS FUN!!!
Hopewell will find out in the next couple of days the time and location for their first round PIAA matchup. Because they’re the #3 seed and taking on a district champion, Hopewell will no doubt have a long bus ride. That’s ok because the season isn’t over!
