Hopewell Junior High Baseball
Hopewell Junior High Baseball Sweeps Double Header against Northgate
It was an extremely long day for the Hopewell Junior High Baseball team as they went on the road for a doubleheader at Northgate.
The Vikings two biggest challenges trust were staying in the game mentally and physically.
Hopewell was clearly the better team but they had to try and not get complacent and keep their energy up. That was difficult since they were on the field for over 4 hours.
Mission accomplished as Hopewell swept the doubleheader, which improved their record to 6-3. What an incredible improvement from a year ago, when they won only 1 game.
In today’s first game, Hopewell won 12-5 and then 19-10 in game two. Keep in mind, in a junior high doubleheader, only 5 innings are played.
Game One Recap:
-Nice defense from Hopewell prevented Northgate from scoring in the 1st inning. With a runner on 1st, Northgate get a ball in the right-center gap and they tried to score the runner from first. However, a nice relay from Owen Ackerman to Maddox Fattore to catcher Aiden Ritchart nailed the runner at the plate.
-In the top of the 3rd, Hopewell trailed 2-0 but they got those runs back. Josh Gill led off with a walk and came home to score on a triple by Collin Davis. Next up, James Armstrong singled in Davis and the score was tied at 2.
-Northgate scored 2 more runs in the bottom of the 3rd so Hopewell needed to answer and they did.
-Ryan Gaguzis walked to leadoff the 4th inning and then stole 2nd base. Then with 1 out, Gaguzis scored when Jackson Yurcina went the other way with a single to right field. Hopewell trailed just 4-3.
-The Vikings tied the game on a nice piece of hitting as Owen Ackerman singled to center. With 2 outs, Hopewell took their first lead of the game as Davis pounded a 2-run double to left and Hopewell led 6-4.
-Still in the 4th inning, with Davis at second, Armstrong laced a ball into the right center gap for an inside the park HR. Hopewell’s lead increased to 8-4.
-Fattore relieved Camden Hoth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two batters.
-In the tip of the 5th, Hopewell added 4 more runs, two coming on RBI singles by Jaxsen Covalt and Reed Budavich.
-Fattore stayed on to pitch the bottom of the 5th and allowed one run but struck out two more hitters to close the game.
Final Score: Hopewell 12 Northgate 5
Game Two Recap:
-This second game was EXTREMELY long and with Hopewell scoring 19 runs, I’ll give you the cliff-notes.
-Northgate scored 3 in the top of the 1st inning but Hopewell countered that with 5 in the bottom of the inning.
-The first three Hopewell runs scored on bases loaded walks and a wild pitch. Hopewell then took a 5-3 lead on a 2-out, 2-run single by Jackson Yurcina.
-Coach Nick Hoth brought Yurcina out to pitch the second inning and Jackson pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out 2 batters.
-In the 2nd inning, Hopewell had the bases loaded and Aiden Ritchart was hit by a pitch to bring in run No. 6. Later in the inning, up 7-3, bases were loaded again and Gill drew a walk to make the score 8-3.
-To Northgate’s credit they didn’t quit and scored 5 runs in the 3rd to tie the game at 8 but Hopewell had an answer.
-Budavich led off the inning with a single and would score on another clutch single by Davis. Hopewell once again led 9-8. Next up, Armstrong ripped a double to left to score Davis and the lead increased to 10-8.
-Budavich was brought in to pitch the 4th and did a nice job, allowing only 1 run and allowing Hopewell to bat in the bottom of the 4th, with a 10-9 lead.
-Hopewell put the game on ice as they scored 9 runs on RBI singles by Gaguzis, Hoth 2-run single, Lindsey RBI on bases loaded walk, Gaguzis batted again this inning and ripped a 2-run single to left.
-Coach Hoth let Budavich close the game on the mound and Reed did the job, striking out a batter and getting two ground balls.
Final Score: Hopewell 19 Northgate 9.
Hopewell has the weekend off before closing their season next week with a game on Wednesday at South Side and closing the season at home on Friday against Beaver.
