Antelopes Rally in Seventh to Down Vikings, 11–5

Avonworth’s freshman right-hander Linhart and Hopewell’s Junior ace Allison Ramaley turned in contrasting complete-game performances on Tuesday afternoon on the scoreboard despite a fantastic back and forth pitching battle. Linhart scattered five hits and five runs over seven innings, striking out 13 and issuing five walks to claim the victory. Ramaley battled through seven full frames as well, yielding 11 runs (five earned) on 11 hits, fanning five with zero walks, despite a rocky start in which she surrendered four first-inning tallies. Ramaley’s performance was stellar all the way up to the last inning when Avonworth finally broke through with the bats. Ramaley shut out a hard hitting high performance Avonworth offense keeping the hitters off balance in a masterful performance and with the support of a defense making the most out of plays in the field.

The Antelopes struck first in the top of the first, erupting for four runs on a fielder’s choice, an RBI double by Jones and a two-run single from Brooks. Avonworth carried that lead into the middle innings, seemingly in control against a formidable Vikings staff.

Hopewell answered emphatically in the third, plating five unanswered runs to seize a brief advantage. Centered around Victoria Mann’s third-inning blast—her fourth home run of the season—the Vikings’ rally showcased the quiet leadership and team-first mentality that Mann brings every day. She went a perfect 2-for-2, drove in three runs and scored twice, sparking hope of a comeback for her squad.

Avonworth, however, flipped the game on its head in the top of the seventh. The Antelopes sent 11 batters to the plate, racking up seven runs on six hits—highlighted by Obersteiner’s two-run double—to pull away decisively and put the contest out of reach.

With the defeat, Hopewell falls to 5-6 on the season. Though the Vikings have slipped into a losing record, they remain competitive in a challenging schedule and will lean on the steady leadership of Victoria Mann and the rest of their core as they fight to climb back above .500.

Final score: Avonworth 11, Hopewell 5