COLLINSVILLE • Maybe it has a calming effect. Maybe it helps with his timing. But one thing is certain — Alton senior outfielder Matt Hopkins uses classic rock to his advantage.
Hopkins, with the 1980s classic "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger rolling through his head, drove in three runs Friday to lead the Redbirds to a 6-2 win over Collinsville at Fletcher Field.
“I'd been pretty unlucky at the plate and had been getting under the ball, too, so it was good to get on top of it and hit a line drive up the middle,” Hopkins said. “I sing 'Sister Christian' in my head, that's my go-to song. I started that my freshman year and it does help.”
Hopkins had the big hit in the Redbirds' five-run third inning. His one-out single drove in two and put Alton in command 5-0. The other third-inning runs were produced by RBI singles from senior pitcher Bryan Hudson and senior Brendan Phillips, and a RBI double by junior infielder Jacob Kanallakan.
“Matt's been pressing at the plate a little bit and tonight at the plate he worked on some adjustments in the (batting) cage,” Alton coach Todd Haug said. “It's nice to see when you take something from practice into the game and he did today.”
Hopkins also added a run-scoring single in the fifth to put Alton (8-2 overall, 1-1 in Southwestern Conference) in control.
As usual, the 6-foot-8 inch Hudson was impressive on the mound. He struck out 12 batters in his six-inning outing and didn't allow a run while giving up just three hits. He improved to 4-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.16. Hudson has signed to play at the University of Missouri.
“I got plenty of days off, so my arm was on tonight,” Hudson said. “We hit the ball behind me, so I couldn't ask for much more. I got that RBI and that's what started it off, but it took the entire team tonight.”
Collinsville mustered a pair of seventh-inning runs off Alton junior reliever Nick Cauley. A run-scoring hit by senior Mitch Reising was the big blow.
Parker Marchbanks suffered the loss for Collinsville (7-3, 1-2).
Kahoks coach Pete Trapp said his team put forth a good effort, it just wasn't good enough.
“You make one mistake against a good team, it's going to come back to get you,” Trapp said. “We had a misplayed ball and other things happened. It's (that way) with anyone in our conference, us included. You give any team in our conference more than three outs and they're going to make you pay.”
