COVER PHOTO: The Vikings celebrated Hanna Brinks setting the school record for strikeouts in a season, 119. Meanwhile, catcher Lyla Reynolds set marks in number of hits, batting average, and on-base percentage.
The Hopkins High School softball regular season ended with yet another twin bill split Wednesday in the heat.
The Lady Vikings dropped the first game of a non-league doubleheader, 2-1, but turned the tables in the nightcap with a four-run rally in the seventh inning to overcome Allendale 7-5. They finished the regular campaign with an overall record of 19-13-2. They were 10-2 in the O-K Silver Conference, taking the runner-up slot behind Calvin Christian.
Hopkins had trouble on the offensive side in the opener, collecting just five hits. Though the two teams tied at 1-1 at the end of the regulation seven innings, the host Falcons pushed across the game-winner in the bottom of the eighth.
Sophomore ace hurler Hannah Brinks deserved a better fate. She threw one out past seven innings, yielding only five hits and one walk and striking out five.
Brinks and Jessica Spray both had a double and Madison Schwartz, Ava Vanderkolk and Brinks each had a single.
Junior Dahlia Veldhouse was the winning pitcher in game two, giving up five runs on 10 hits. She walked only one and only three of the five Allendale runs were earned.
Offensively, Spray and Vanderkolk both unloaded a home run. Spray, Lyla Reynolds, Vanderkolk and Kate Steffes each drove in a couple of runs and Vanderkolk had the team’s only other extra base hit, a double.
Hopkins will take on Grand Rapids South Christian at 10 a.m. Saturday in a district semifinal at Wayland. The winner will face either Wayland or Allegan in the finals, which will get under way at 2 p.m.
