Hopkins varsity softball coach Amy Funk last year made the commitment for her team to play more quality competition outside of the O-K Silver Conference, and it means the overall record is bound to suffer a bit.
That result showed itself Saturday in a 15-0 loss to Vicksburg, a team that also beat Wayland earlier this month and was undefeated.
The Lady Vikings rebounded in their second game to take a 9-2 decision from host Thornapple Kellogg 9-2, so their season record now is 8-5. Two of the losses were to Division 1 Lowell.
Hopkins started the day with the brutal reality of an unbeaten foe that hits, fields and pitches well. The Bulldogs scored six times in the first inning and never looked back in a contest shortened to four innings.
Lyla Reynolds unloaded a double and Jessi Spray added a single for Hopkins’ only hits. Losing pitcher Hannah Brinks was hampered by a hand injury and didn’t swing the bat at all during the day.
After Thornapple Kellogg scored both of its runs in the opening inning, the Vikings countered with four and then took control.
Dahlia Veldhouse picked up her first victory on the mound, scattering nine hits, walking none and striking out six over seven innings.
Reynolds again led the offensive attack with a triple, a double and a single. Cami Hibma went 4-for-4, including a double, Peyton Roxbury delivered three hits and Rhiannon Break had a pair of single. Reynolds, Hibma and Roxbury each drove in a couple of runs.
Hopkins will get back into O-K Silver action this week with a 5-0 league record thus far.
