The Hopkins softball team took two of three encounters Saturday at a tournament in Ionia to run its record to 14-11 overall.
Coach Amy Funk’s Vikings blanked St. John’s 3-0 and mercied host Ionia 16-6 before losing in the finals to Greenville.
Senior ace hurler Hannah Brinks, fresh from her no-hit gem last week, was masterful again in stopping St. John’s lone just one and firing a shutout. She walked three batters and struck out 10.
Hopkins scored twice in the opening inning and added another run in the third. Interestingly, it was the long ball that prevailed, as catcher Lyla Reynolds and Ava VanderKolk belted homers.
The bats collectively came alive in the first inning against Ionia in a 10-run rally.
Madison Shwartz drilled a triple, Madison Funk, VanderKolk and Reynolds each had a double, but the Bulldogs gifted Hopkins with seven walks. VanderKolk, Reynolds and Funk had two hits apiece.
Gracie Stallard picked up the win in the circle. She gave up 13 hits and six runs, walked one and struck out three in five innings of work.
Hopkins rallied late in the game against Greenville to tie the ballgame at 7-7 and the end of the regulation seventh, but the YellowJackets rallied for six runs in the top of the eighth to run away with a 13-8 victory.
VanderKolk delivered another home run in the final game, Reynolds had two doubles and Funk one two-bagger. The Vikings collected 18 hits, with Funk and Reynolds posting three apiece.
Brinks went the distance in the circle, giving up 18 hits and 12 runs, walking two and striking out three.
