The Hopkins Vikings will venture away from home to take on the Comstock Park Panthers at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Hopkins is coming into the game hot, having won their last 11 games.
Hopkins barely beat Godwin Heights the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Vikings put the hurt on the Wolverines with a sharp 18-0 victory on Thursday. The result was nothing new for the Vikings, who have now won ten matches by seven runs or more so far this season.
Merek Zapolnik
| 05/08/25 @ Godwin Heights | 5 |
| 04/29/25 @ NorthPointe Christian | 1 |
| 04/29/25 @ NorthPointe Christian | 0 |
| 04/25/25 @ Holland Christian | 3 |
| 04/22/25 vs Calvin Christian | 1 |
| 04/18/25 @ Vicksburg | 6 |
Merek Zapolnik made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, he posted five strikeouts, the most he's had over his last six contests. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two runs.
In other batting news, Kellen Ford was incredible, going 1-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Trent Smith was another key player, going 3-for-5 with three runs, one double, and one RBI.
Hopkins hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least four batters in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Comstock Park didn't have quite enough to beat Cedar Springs on Friday and fell 6-4.
Hopkins' win was their seventh straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 17-6. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.9 runs on average over those games. As for Comstock Park, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost five of their last six matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 8-7 record this season.
Hopkins came up short against Comstock Park in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, falling 7-2. Can the Vikings avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
