SPOKANE, Wash. – Tommy Hopfe didn’t set out to chase history.
The Spokane Indians Outfielder and Designated Hitter simply wanted to stop pressing at the plate.That mindset helped produce one of the most impressive stretches in franchise history, as Hopfe put together a 22-game hitting streak — the longest in the Indians’ High-A era and the longest by a switch-hitter in franchise history.During the streak, Hopfe batted .422 with 13 extra-base hits, 18 RBIs and a 1.187 OPS, helping lead Spokane to a 10-game winning streak as the club climbed back into the Northwest League race.“Honestly? No,” Hopfe said when asked if he ever imagined putting together a streak that long. “Like we said earlier, you just kind of take it game by game, at-bat by at-bat and pitch by pitch.”The hot streak came after a frustrating start to the season.Hopfe admitted he was trying too hard early in the year, pressing to make things happen instead of trusting the work he had put in.“I feel like at the beginning of the year I was throwing away a lot of at-bats,” Hopfe said. “I was just kind of trying to press, trying to make stuff happen that I didn’t need to do.”Instead, he simplified his approach.“I kind of just took the hands off it and started to trust my approach, the time I put in in the cage and just truly trust my abilities,” Hopfe said. “Things started to go my way, and I’m very thankful for that.”Hopfe’s turnaround mirrored the team’s.After struggling out of the gate, the Indians found their rhythm and rattled off 10 consecutive victories, something Hopfe credits to the clubhouse culture rather than any one player.“We struggled at the beginning, and it goes one of two ways,” Hopfe said. “You either stop caring as a unit, start bickering, or you grow closer together and start moving as a family.”“Our manager has spoken a lot about unity and being a family. At the end of the day, we’re with each other six or seven hours a day, six times a week. These guys become your brothers.”Hopfe said the close-knit atmosphere has helped players navigate both success and adversity throughout the season.“We’re all chasing championships and trying to be big leaguers,” he said. “It’s just coming together as a unit and letting things happen. Obviously it’s gone a lot better for us since the beginning.”Despite the growing attention surrounding his hitting streak, Hopfe said he never let the numbers become his focus.“I don’t even really care about it, to be honest with you,” Hopfe said. “They’re made to be broken. It’s just trying to take every game like it’s your last one and every at-bat like it’s your last one. If it goes your way, it goes your way. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”For Hopfe, the record is a byproduct of a much larger lesson.Rather than chasing results, he learned to trust his preparation, rely on his teammates and enjoy the process.Now, his name sits alone in the Spokane Indians record book, a reminder of what can happen when confidence replaces pressure.
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