Mike Vukovcan NEW BRIGHTON- Congratulations to the Hopewell Vikings team who tonight won the 2025 Beaver County Little League Championship.
Tonight, the Vikings went on the road and defeated New Brighton, 6-2, to bring home the championship!! Great job players and coaches!!
While winning is always a team effort, the headliners tonight for Hopewell were Rhett Rankin and Kruz Krotec.
That dynamic duo combined to go 4 for 5 with 3 HR’s, 6 RBIs and scored 5 runs. Rankin clubbed two home runs, while Krotec also went deep.
The Hopewell pitching did a great job shutting down a good New Brighton offense, limiting them to just 5 hits and combined to strike out 11 batters.
Krotec got the start and pitched 3 hitless innings, allowing 0 runs, 0 walks and striking out 5 batters. Rankin entered at the start of the 4th and went 1.1 innings, allowing just 1 run and struck out 1 batter. Austin Gallagher closed out the game going 1.2 innings, allowing 1 run and striking out 5 batters.
Hopewell’s offense scored 2 runs in each the 1st, 3rd and 6th innings.
In the bottom of the first, Krotec gave Hopewell a 2-0 lead with a 2-run HR to center field. The next time the top of the order batted, the lead increased to 4-0 when Rankin also clubbed a 2-run HR to center field. Hopewell led 4-0.
Hopewell went to the final inning leading only 4-1 so the game was still within reach, but Rankin changed that with another 2-run HR.
Gallagher went to the final inning with a 5 run lead and closed things out by striking out 3 batters!!
FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 6 NEW BRIGHTON 2
WINNING, ESPECIALLY CHAMPIONSHIPS IS FUN!!!
Congratulations to our CHAMPION Vikings:
– Ethan Bolinger
– Austin Gallagher
– Kruz Krotec
– Declan Lavia
– Noah Loos
– Valentino Maroni
– Rhett Rankin
– Jaxson Thompson
– Leo Yannessa
– Christian Yesionek
– Breyson Hoth
After celebrating on the field, the Vikings brought the trophy back to Hopewell and celebrated at Shulligan’s Bar and Grille!!
Hopewell Vikings 2025 Beaver County LL Champions
