Mike Vukovcan Twice this season, the Hopewell Vikings baseball team have found themselves in seemingly must win situations if they have any hopes of making the WPIAL playoffs.
Last week, Hopewell went on the road and defeated Ambridge, 6-4.
Hopewell softball and youth baseball is sponsored by Lisa McCoy, your neighborhood State Farm agent.
Following yesterday’s disappointing 5-1 loss to North Catholic, the Vikings needed to bounce back today with a win and that’s exactly what they did with a 8-4 victory.
The common denominator in both road wins was junior right-hander Kingston Krotec.
Krotec was on the mound for both and stepped up like leaders need to do. This afternoon, King went 6.1 innings, allowed 1 earned run, 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. Against Ambridge, Krotec went 6 innings, 2 earned runs, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts.
In desperate times, your best players need to be at their best and Krotec has been that for Hopewell in two crucial games.
The eight runs for Hopewell were a season-high with the offensive standouts today being Krotec, Charlie Smetana, Collin Davis and Brody McCullough.
In bottom of the first inning North Catholic got a runner to third base with two outs, but Krotec closed the door with a strike out.
Hopewell took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second but North Catholic looked as though they were gonna tie the game in the bottom of the frame. The Trojans had runners at second and third with just one out however Krotec got out of the inning with two pop-ups.
Hopewell appeared to be in trouble as NC took a 2-1 lead but the Vikings responded with a seven run 5th inning.
Smetana led off with a walk, then after Logan Triscila reached on an error, Davis drove them both in with a 2-run double. Hopewell took the lead 3-2.
Later in the inning, Ben McDonald walked and McCullough getting hit by a pitch, Drew Donovan came with a bases loaded RBI single that scored Davis and McDonald scored on a throwing error. Hopewell led 5-2.
Still in the same inning with Hopewell up 6-2, Krotec finished things off with a 2-run double scoring Donovan and Knobloch.
Now pitching with an 8-2 lead, Krotec had room to breathe and pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning followed by 2 strike outs in the sixth inning.
Krotec started the 7th inning but was eventually replaced after a couple Hopewell fielding errors and his pitch count rising to 99 pitches.
Lefty Ben McDonald came on and eventually ended the game with a strikeout, stranding 2 North Catholic runners.
Final Score: Hopewell 8 North Catholic 4.
The Vikings return to action on Thursday as they host Montour in a non-section game.
