Hopewell Valley Rallies To Victory

— Bentonville took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning of its game in the Cal Ripken 10-year-old World Series Monday night, but Hopewell Valley N.J. answered quickly.

The Middle Atlantic regional champions exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by a three-run homer by Liam Cleary, en route to an 8-2 victory in pool play at Memorial Park.

Bentonville (2-1) will now finish off pool play against Willamette Valley, Ore., at 7:30 tonight. Hopewell Valley will have the day off and get ready for championship play on Wednesday.

Bentonville coach Gan Nunnally said the New Jersey team just put together several hits in that big fifth inning.

“We’re a bunch of scrappers, but they’ve got a real good club,” Nunnally said. “We’ll come back tomorrow. That game’s still big for seeding.”

Hopewell Valley sent 12 batters to the plate, after managing just one run on four hits through the first four innings.

Cleary’s three-run homer turned the 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead. Aiden Discordia, who finished 3-for-3, added a run-scoring double for Hopewell Valley.

Cleary also picked up the win in relief, allowing no hits and striking out five in 1 2/3 innings.

Bentonville bunched together three of its four hits in the top of the fifth to take the lead. Kendall Thornton’s two-run double gave the host team a 2-1 lead.

Bentonville had a chance to get more with runners on second and third and just one out. But Cleary came on to strike out back-to-back hitters and end the threat.

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