Mike Vukovcan PETERS TOWNSHIP– When you reach the WPIAL playoffs, despite the seed your team is given, all teams are talented and all are capable of winning on any given day.
Hopewell HC Morgan Singletary has won 2 WPIAL championships and is well aware of that and no doubt reinforced that to his players prior to today’s opening round of the WPIAL playoffs.
Hopewell softball and youth baseball is sponsored by Lisa McCoy, your neighborhood State Farm agent.
Tonight, Hopewell entered as the No. 6 seed and took on No. 11 seed Ringgold.
A&S Federal Credit Union are proud sponsors of Hopewell Boys and Girls High School, Junior High and Youth Sports.
In order for Hopewell to achieve their ultimate goal, they’re going to need all 3 phases- pitching, hitting and strong defense. Fortunately for them, they received it, which allowed them to come away with a 5-3 win. The Vikings jumped out to a 5-1 lead before having Ringgold score 2 runs in the 6th inning to make things interesting.
Hopewell now advances to the quarterfinals and will take on No. 3 seed Valley next Monday. The time and location of that game will be announced later this week.
In terms of hitting, Hopewell collected 12 hits, including 4 extra base hits. The 12 hits were their most since recording 15 back on April 17th against Shenango.
Leading the way were Kingston Krotec, Logan Triscila, James Gill and Ben McDonald, each with 2 hits apiece. James Armstrong, Charlie Smetana, Jake Knobloch and Collin Davis each had a one hit apiece.
Getting the start tonight was Krotec, who’s been the team’s top pitcher all season and tonight, King did what he had to do bring home the win.
Hopewell pitcher Kingston Krotec
Krotec had a gutsy performance tonight going 6.2 innings, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs (1 earned run), 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Krotec threw a season-high 107 pitches before giving way to senior Payton Korker, who recorded the last out of the game.
The win improves Hopewell’s record to 15-5, their most wins since the 2022 season when they had 16.
HOPEWELL BASEBALL’S RECORD LAST SIX SEASONS
2026: 15-5, 8-4 (?????)
2025: 5-14, 4-8
2024: 9-10, 4-6
2023: 14-12, 4-6 (WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIP)
2022: 16-8, 9-1
2021: 18-6, 9-1 (WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIP)
TONIGHT’S HOPEWELL/RINGGOLD GAME RECAP:
Top of 1st: Krotec recorded the first two outs of the game on ground balls and then the inning ended when Smetana threw out a runner trying to steal second.
Bottom of 1st: Hopewell got on the scoreboard first. With 1 out, Krotec doubled to right field and came around to score on a 2-out RBI double to center field by Smetana, Hopewell led 1-0.
Top of 2nd: An easy 1-2-3 inning following a flyout to Armstrong in left, a groundout to Korker at 3rd base and a groundout to Drew Donovan at short.
Bottom of 2nd: McDonald increased the lead to 2-0 on a long HR to right field on a 1-1 pitch. This was McDonald’s team-leading 6th HR, Hopewell led 2-0.
Top of 3rd: Another stressless inning as Krotec struck out 2 batters with the other out coming on a groundout to Davis at second base.
Bottom of 3rd: Instead of just one, Hopewell picked up 2 runs in this frame, which gave them a nice cushion. With 1 out, Triscila singled to center and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Gill then smacked a 2-0 pitch to center field, which scored McDonald. Later in the inning with 2 outs, Knobloch came through with a clutch 2-out single to center, as he jumped on the first pitch of the at-bat. Gill scored, and Hopewell led 4-0 after 3 innings.
Top of 4th: Ringgold threatened in the 4th as they got a 2-out triple, but Krotec grabbed a line drive back at the mound for the 3rd out.
Top of 5th: Ringgold had a real threat in the fifth as they had runners at 2nd and 3rd with 0 out. The next batter then popped up to Krotec for out #1. The next batter then hit a comebacker to the mound, the runner at third tried to score but Krotec threw home to Smetana for out No. 2. With 2 runners on, Ringgold came through with an RBI double to score run. However, they tried to plate the runner from first but a great relay from Knobloch to Donovan to Smetana, cut him down, Hopewell led 4-1.
Bottom of 5th: Hopewell was able to get that run back in the bottom of the inning as Triscila led off with a double to center. Logan advanced to third on a single by Gill. With runners at 1st and 3rd and 0 out, McDonald hit a sacrifice fly to center, which scored Triscila, Hopewell led 5-1.
Top of 6th: Ringgold didn’t quit and scored two runs to make it 5-3 and had 2 runners on with 2 outs. Instead of going to his bullpen, Singletary stuck with his senior and someone that has done the job all season. So, with 2 on and 2 out, Krotec ended Ringgold’s threat by getting a flyout to Knobloch in right field. Hopewell led 5-3.
Top of 7th: Krotec and Hopewell needed 3 outs in order to advance to the quarterfinals. Out No. 1 came on a pop up to Donovan at shortstop. Out No. 2 came on a strikeout. Singletary then brought in Korker to get the final out. After falling behind 3-0, Korker then got 2 strikes to get it to a full count. On the next pitch, the game ended as Armsrong caught a ball in foul territory.
FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 5 RINGGOLD 3
WINNING IS FUN!!!
Congratulations Hopewell on this first step. This team will have a week off to get ready for a very talented Valley team, which finished the season with a record of 14-5 and 8-2 in section. One of those section wins was over No. 1 seed Indiana.
