Hopewell is 1-8 against Ellwood City since April of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Vikings will head out to square off against the Wolverine at 5:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Monday, Hopewell made easy work of Quaker Valley and carried off a 10-2 win.
Alana Covalt was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Kara Barkovich was incredible, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. Tallulah Showrank also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Hopewell always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .513. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Ellwood City). They blew past Beaver Falls 17-2 on Monday. The victory was familiar territory for the Wolverine, who have now won three matchups in a row.
Like Hopewell, Ellwood City also got a great game from a two-way player: Amber McQuistion. On the mound, she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and only one walk). McQuistion was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles and one RBI. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sara Schwarz, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three doubles, four RBI, and two runs. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Lena Lucarelli, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Ellwood City's win was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-4. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Hopewell, the win got them back to even at 7-7.
Wednesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hopewell has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. However, it's not like Ellwood City struggles in that department as they've averaged .442. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hopewell suffered a grim 6-0 defeat to Ellwood City in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Can the Vikings avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
