The 9-and-under Hopewell Valley Bulldogs found themselves in trouble after a first-round loss in the double-elimination Cal Ripken district tournament on June 23 in Allentown, N.J.
The Bulldogs lost, 11-0, to the 2015 runner-up, the Upper Freehold Red Birds. They fell behind, 6-0, but regained form against Montgomery (24-2) before a rematch against the Red Birds that quickly saw Hopewell trailing, 6-0, after two innings.
The Bulldogs’ bats came alive and Nick Skibik would go on to pitch 5-plus innings of shutout baseball to send the game into extra innings. Andrew Halko led off the 7th with a double and was advanced to 3rd by Chris King before Collin Elam singled in the go-ahead run. Skibik slammed the door in the bottom of the 7th sending the teams back the next night to play a deciding game.
The championship saw George Franklin pitch 3 shutout innings and yield just one hit as the Bulldogs took the title home in 5 innings, 16-6. Franklin also singled in Rex Peters for the game-ending run.
The middle of the Bulldog’s lineup put on a hitting display through districts combining for 32 hits (including 11 extra-base hits) and 27 runs in just 47 at-bats. Those sluggers were (Owen Lengle 9/13, two doubles, 7 runs, 6 RBI); Halko 10 for 14, 4 doubles, 9 runs, 5 RBI); King (6 for 10, 7 runs, 2 RBI) and Elam (7 for 10, a double and triple, 4 runs, 9 RBI).
Jake Trupin also had a great district run, going 7/12 with a double 4 runs and 3 RBI.
Behind the plate Dean Mantuano caught 2 of 4 stealing and added a 5-2-3 double play. At shortstop John Michael Vlasac made spectacular plays to help clinch the Bulldogs’ comeback against the Red Birds. Tommy Buker added two key putouts as he and Jake O’Connell manned left field.
The Bulldogs will advance to the state tournament and have their first game on Thursday, July 14, at 7:45 p.m. in Moorestown at Salem Road Park.
