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!!
Established in 1986, family owned and serving the Beaver County community for over 40 years. Serving breakfast favorites and lunch specials.
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
