Hopewell Pony League Continue Winning Ways, Beat Blackhawk, 4-3

RACCOON TWP- As a smart man likes to say ‘Winning is Fun’ and with that in mind, the Hopewell Fall Pony League team is having lots of fun.

Tonight, the Vikings hosted Blackhawk and came away with a hard fought 4-3 win, in a well pitched and played game.

With the win, Hopewell improves to 3-2-1, and are undefeated in their last 4 games.

The story of tonight’s game was the Hopewell pitching and especially their defense. Coach Hoffman’s team didn’t commit an error and made 13 defensive plays in the field.

Here’s a recap of tonight’s win:

Top of 1st: Luke Vukovcan started for Hopewell and got 3 ground ball outs. The first coming on a grounder to 3rd baseman Anthony Ventresca. Then after allowing a deep triple, Vukovcan got the next two Blackhawk batters on grounders to Ethan Adams and Andrew Arzberger. Blackhawk 1-0

Bottom of 1st: After Nico Yannessa walked to start the game, Arzberger, Vukovcan, Reed Budavich and Tyler Hoffman followed with singles to give Hopewell a 2-1 lead.

Hopewell got one more run in the first as Budavich scored on a wild pitch. Hopewell 3-1.

Top 2nd: Vukovcan helped himself out as a snagged a line drive back at the mound for the first out. Then after hitting a batter, Hopewell ended the inning with double play as Ethan Adams caught a line drive at second and doubled off the runner at first.

Bottom of 2nd: Christian Fisher led off with a double to right-center and would come around to score on a 2-out single by Arzberger. Hopewell 4-1.

Top 3rd: Mason Santamaria came on to pitch the 3rd inning and got himself out of a key situation.

The first out came via a grounder to 3rd baseman David Johnson. Then after a walk, Santamaria recorded a strikeout.

The next 3 Blackhawk hitters reached which brought in a run. That’s when Mason came up big and recorded a huge out. With the bases loaded and 2 outs, Santamaria struck out the Blackhawk No. 3 hitter. Hopewell 4-2.

Top 4th: After scoring a run, Blackhawk was threatening to score more but Yannessa pitched his way out of a jam.

With runners at 2nd and 3rd with 1 out, Yannessa got a pop up to Fisher and a grounder to Adams which ended the inning. Hopewell 4-3.

Top 5th: More Hopewell defense. After a leadoff single, Hopewell turned its second double play of the game. Vukovcan fielded a ground ball at short, flipped to Adams at second, who fired to Hoffman at first. Yannessa got the final out on a pop up to Johnson.

Top 6th: Hoffman brought on Arzberger to close and he got the job done.

With 1 on, out No.1 came via a grounder to Yannessa at second. After a stolen base, Arzberger struck out the next hitter. Then after the runner advanced to third on a passed ball, Arzberger ended the game with a strike out.

Vikings win 4-3!