Mike Vukovcan AMBRIDGE– After opening up play in the Ambridge All-Star Tournament with a 7-7 tie against Beaver, the Hopewell Vikings were back on the field this afternoon taking on Ellwood City.
This was a close game until the top of the 5th inning which was when the Vikings plated 7 runs enroute to a 14-7 victory.
The headline of today’s victory was the power display put on by Hopewell’s Owen McGovern. The Vikings 3rd baseman achieved a big moment in his young baseball career as he hit his first two career homeruns. Way to go Owen!!
The first one came in the top of the 2nd inning with the second one coming in the 5th inning.
“My first one, I knew it was going out, but that second one, I was shocked,” McGovern told Vikings Sports Now. “It just shows that you can do anything when you put your mind to it!”
HOPEWELL VS. ELLWOOD CITY RECAP:
Top of 2nd: Reagan Haring led off the inning and would score on an RBI double to center field by Connor Eiler. The next batter up, Gannon McNally followed that up with an RBI double of his own to score Eiler and Hopewell led 2-0.
That’s when McGovern stepped to the plate and after fouling off the first pitch, Owen pounded a ball to center field and after it easily cleared the fence, Hopewell led 4-0.
Bottom of 2nd: After getting that sort of run support, Zac Seech made quick work of Ellwood City in the second as he struck out the side. Seech finished the game with 6 strikeouts in 3 innings.
Top of 3rd: With 1 out, Seech singled to left and after stealing 2nd and 3rd base, Zac scored on an RBI single by Haring. Hopewell led 6-0.
Top of 4th: Ellwood City scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 3rd but the Vikings were able to get one back in the 4th. Leo Yannessa hit a fly ball double to left field and after a single by Bryce Croner, Yannessa scored as a stole home. Hopewell led 7-4.
Bottom 4th: Declan Lavia was on the mound and got the first out as he fielded a comebacker to mound. Out No. 2 came via a groundout to Seech at shortstop and the inning ended as Lavia recorded a strikeout.
Top 5th: Hopewell then iced the game with a seven run 5th inning. With 1 out, Hunter Prenatt was hit by a pitch, which was followed by a walk to Michael Ambrose. With 2 on, Lavia singled to bring in Prenatt. Hopewell led 8-4.
Ambrose and Lavia would both score on separate wild pitches, which brought about a pitching change. Seech then doubled followed by a walk to Haring. After a double steal, Seech would also score on a wild pitch. With a runner at third and 1 out, McNally grounded out to shortstop, which brought in another run.
The final out came as McGovern finished the scoring with his second home run of the day.
FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 14 ELLWOOD CITY 7
