The Hilltop Cadets will head out on the road to square off against the Montpelier Locomotives at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hilltop's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by an 8-0 margin over Holgate. The win was familiar territory for the Cadets, who have now won three matches in a row.
Kelsy Connolly made a splash no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kenley Routt, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Sophie Graham was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Meanwhile, Montpelier had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 15 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Tuesday. They put the hurt on the Eagles with a sharp 18-1 victory.
Like Hilltop, Montpelier also got a great game from a two-way player: Madelyn Hopper. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and not a single walk). Hopper was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI and two doubles. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Montpelier got a massive performance out of Hennah Beck, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and one triple. Lyla Mahan also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Montpelier kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in four consecutive contests.
Hilltop's record now sits at 13-2. As for Montpelier, their record is now 8-5.
Hilltop's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's game. The Cadets have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Montpelier, though, as they've been averaging only 0.5 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Hilltop continue to outrun the ball?
Hilltop couldn't quite finish off Montpelier when the teams last played on Wednesday and fell 5-3. Can the Cadets avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
