11-Year Olds Continue Hot Streak, Open CV Tournament with 8-1 Win Over Moon

The Hopewell 11-year-old All-Star team is playing some incredible baseball.

Thus far this All-Star season, the Vikings have entered two tournaments and have won both of them, outscoring their opponents by the score of 85-18.

This morning, the 11-year-olds opened up play in the Central Valley All-Star tournament as they took on the Moon Tigers and the winning continued.

Behind tremendous starting pitching, the Vikings defeated Moon, 8-1, running their 2024 All-Star record to a perfect 9-0.

Hopewell only led 2-0 heading to the final inning but were able to score six runs in the 6th inning to give themselves a 8-0 cushion.

The trio of Wade Enders, Kruz Krotec and Wes Gigliotti were tremendous, allowing only 3 hits, while striking out 10 Moon hitters. Offensively, Enders led Hopewell with 3 hits, while Henry Dunn picked up two hits.

Credit Hopewell for another game with outstanding defense as they didn’t commit a single error.

Moon had a chance in the bottom of 1st as two batters reached but Enders cleaned things up with two strikeouts and ended the inning on a ground ball to shortstop Rilynn Davis.

Krotec came on to pitch the 3rd and had an easy inning as the first Moon hitter lined out to center fielder Brandon Cecchini, second out came on a line out to second baseman Gigliotti and Kruz ended the inning a strikeout.

The Vikings offense finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the 4th inning.

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Enders got things started with a double to center field. After Enders stole 3rd base, Krotec walked, which put runners at 1st and 3rd with 0 out. Elliott Mancos did his job by putting the ball in play, grounding out to first base, which resulted in Enders scoring. Hopewell led 1-0. On that play, Krotec advanced to third base and would eventually score on a Dunn grounder, which was scored an error. Hopewell led 2-0.

With the pitching they received, that was all Hopewell needed.

In the Moon 4th inning and Krotec on the mound, outs came courtesy a pop up to Davis at short, a pop up to Krotec at pitcher and a line out to Dunn at first.

Moon had their best chance of the game in the 5th inning as Krotec walked the bases loaded with 2 outs. However, he reset, put that behind him and ended the inning with another strikeout.

Hopewell extended the lead with six runs in the final frame.

Mancos and Dunn started the inning with singles, which was followed by Colby Cunningham getting hit by a pitch. Then with 1 out, Cecchini and Davis drew walks, which extended the lead to 4-0. The remaining four runs came home after a Gigliotti fielder’s choice, Rhett Rankin getting hit by a pitch, Enders walking with the bases loaded and Krotec driving in a run with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Gigliotti came in to pitch the final inning and was able to strike out the side.

FINAL SCORE: Hopewell 8 Moon 1.

The 11-year-olds will return to action this afternoon as they take on Shaler.