COVER PHOTO: Cami Hibma: Solo HR
A doubleheader split with Fruitport Thursday meant the Hopkins softball team finished second in the final O-K Silver Conference standings.
The Vikings won 16-14, but lost 14-10 to end the day with an overall record of 18-13.
Coach Amy Funk said, “We are better now than we were at the beginning of the season. Fruitport said we are the best team they played all year.”
Hopkins demonstrated some impressive offensive prowess. In the victory, senior catcher Lyla Reynolds clouted a home run and drilled a pair of singles. Callie Washburn, Mckenna Funk and Kaylee Burgess each added a double and Burgess and Funk both came up with three hits and four runs batted in. Hannah Brinks, who picked up a save in the circle, added three singles to the attack and Callie Washburn contributed two hits.
In all, the Vikings had 18 hits as a team.
They fell short in the opener of the twin bill. Things started poorly in the bottom of the first inning when the homesteading Trojans plated five runs and Hopkins trailed 11-4 at the end of five. The Vikings scored once in the sixth and five times in a seventh inning rally.
Reynolds delivered the first of her two homers of the day, drove home three runs and Cami Hibma added a solo shot. Reynolds and Ava VanderKolk also had a double.
But Fruitport flexed some offensive muscle itself by posting four round-trippers against Hopkins ace hurler Hannah Brinks.
“Now to focus on districts…I believe we can!” Funk said. “This team is special. They have the want, and it showed today. Relentless has been my theme from the beginning when I came here seven years ago and today we definitely kept fighting to the end, the first game especially.”
Funk now has coached Hopkins softball for seven seasons. In all of them, her teams have finished second in the final standings.
The Vikings will have their work cut out for them at districts, first taking on Allegan at Middleville Thornapple Kellogg Saturday, May 31. If they can best the Tigers, they will likely meet perennial; powerhouse Wayland in the finals.
