11-Year Olds Win Back-to-Back All-Star Tournaments!

The Hopewell 11-Year Old All-Star team is playing some great baseball!

The Vikings followed up winning last weekends Hopewell tournament by dominating and winning the North Hills Tournament, beating Shaler, 8-3.

This weekend, Hopewell went 4-0 and outscored their opponents, 48-11. Last weekend, this team also went 4-0, outscoring their opponents, 37-7.

That means this 2024 All-Star season, Coach Dave Gigliotti and Brandon Davis team is 8-0, and outscoring the opposition, 85-18.

The tone was set in this championship game by the first inning and starting pitcher Rilynn Davis.

Davis pitched the first 3 innings, completing baffling the Shaler hitters. The right-hander allowed 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks and struck out 5.

The Viking hitters came out ready as they scored 7 runs in the first.

Leadoff hitter Colby Cunningham led off with a single, stole second and scored on a groundout by Wes Gigliotti. After back-back walks to Rhett Rankin and Wade Enders, Kruz Krotec continued his production from the middle of the order by doubling in both runners. Hopewell led 3-0.

The hitting continued as Davis singled to left, driving in Krotec. Davis then stole 2nd and 3rd and scored on a groundout by Henry Dunn.

Hopewell then finished off the inning by scoring two runs off a Shaler error. At the end of the first, Hopewell led 7-0.

Davis had an easy 2nd and 3rd innings.

In the second, the first batter grounded out to Krotec at shortstop. The second batter struck out and after a runner reached on an error, Rankin caught a pop at 3rd base.

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Im the Shaler 3rd inning, Davis struck out two batters with the third out coming from a pop up to Krotec.

A big moment of the game took place in the 4th inning. Gigliotti started the inning and gave up a run. Shaler was threatening to get more as they loaded the bases. However, Gigliotti stood strong and got the next two batters on a pop up and a grounder to Enders at third base.

Shaler scored two in the bottom of the 5th inning to make the score 8-3 so Hopewell needed 3 more outs for another championship.

As he did last weekend, Coach Gigliotti called upon Elliott Mancos to close things out.

The first out came from a fly out to Rankin in center. Following a Hopewell error, Krotec fielded a ball at shortstop and flipped to Gigliotti for out No. 2.

The next two Shaler batters reached so with the bases loaded and 2 outs, Mancos ended things in style by striking out the final batter.

Final Score: Hopewell 8 Shaler 3.

Congrats to all the players and coaches on another championship!

The 11-year olds will look to make it three in a row as they take part in the Ambridge All-Star Tournament.