Baseball Recap: Hilltop Takes a Loss

Hilltop extended their losing streak to three on Tuesday, dropping them down to 8-5. They came up short against the Montpelier Locomotives, falling 8-0. The game marked the first time this year in which the Cadets were not able to get on the board.

As for Montpelier, the victory was the fourth in a row for them, bringing their record up to 10-3. The result was nothing new for the Locomotives, who have now won six matchups by eight runs or more so far this season.

For Montpelier's part, Kenneth Smeltzer made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. Smeltzer was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Wesley Hartsock, who went 3-for-5 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That's the most hits he has posted since back in May of 2025. Another player making a difference was Griffin Cooley, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.

We've got plenty of inter-conference action coming up soon. Hilltop is set to square off against their familiar foe North Central at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Meanwhile, Montpelier will challenge rival Holgate at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday.