Hopewell Vikings Rally Falls Short in 12-9 Loss to Montour

Hopewell Vikings Rally but Falls Short in 12-9 Loss to Montour

On a gorgeous afternoon for baseball Wednesday afternoon at 5515 Moon Run Road, McKees Rocks, PA, the Hopewell Middle School Vikings found themselves battling against Montour in a game that saw early pitching struggles and a dramatic comeback attempt. Despite collecting five hits to Montour’s three, Hopewell fell short, losing 12-9 in a hard-fought contest.

The game started with Hopewell struggling on the mound. Montour wasted no time taking control, scoring seven runs in the first two innings. The damage began in the bottom of the first when Montour’s Hazard singled, bringing in two runs. An error allowed one more run to score, followed by a walk to Cox that led to another run. Another error pushed the Montour lead to 5-0 before a passed ball extended it to 8-0 in the second inning.

However, the Vikings didn’t fold. In the top of the fourth inning, Hopewell mounted a spectacular rally. With Rankin leading the charge, the Vikings scored nine runs to seize a brief 9-8 lead. Rankin himself singled to center field, and soon after, Cecchini followed with another single. Cunningham walked, Smetana drew a walk, and Reed reached on an error to short driving in a key run. Hoffman contributed with a sacrifice fly, and Yesionek also walked. The biggest moment came when Reed, tagging up on a fly ball, crossed home plate to put Hopewell ahead.

Despite the dramatic shift in momentum, Montour regained control and responded with four more runs. The Vikings could not answer, even though they were patient at the plate, accumulating 13 walks during the game. However, their five hits were not enough to overcome Montour’s balanced offense and aggressive base running.

In terms of pitching, Hopewell struggled early on. Reed, the starting pitcher, gave up one hit and six runs (two earned) over one inning, while striking out one and walking five. On the other hand, Montour’s Carothers proved effective, allowing just one hit and one unearned run over three innings while striking out four and walking four.

Rankin stood out for Hopewell, driving in two runs with his 1-for-3 performance, while Smetana contributed by drawing three walks. For Montour, Hazard led the offense with two RBIs, going 1-for-3, and Cox also stood out with two walks. Montour’s aggressive baserunning was a factor, tallying nine stolen bases, with McDowell and Kenavey each stealing multiple bases.

Despite the loss, Hopewell showed resilience and teamwork in their comeback attempt. They had their chances, but Montour’s strong pitching, defense, and timely hitting ultimately proved too much for the Vikings.

In the end, Montour’s defense, which didn’t commit a single error, was crucial to their victory. Lipinski was the standout defender, making four plays in the field.

Although they came up just short, the Vikings’ ability to rally in the middle innings is a promising sign for the rest of the season as they look to build off the heart and perseverance they showed in the 12-9 loss.