Antwerp hasn't had much luck against Hilltop recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Archers will face off against the Cadets at 5:00 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Antwerp took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They had just enough and edged out Wayne Trace 3-1. The win was some much needed relief for the Archers as it spelled an end to their six-game losing streak.
Elle Clem
| 04/30/25 vs Wayne Trace | 1 |
| 04/29/25 @ Ayersville | 1 |
| 04/28/25 @ Montpelier | 1 |
Elle Clem made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off six hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
Clem wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Caroline Rohrs, who went 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Meanwhile, Hilltop had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Wednesday. They never let the Panthers get on the board and left with a 26-0 victory. Considering the Cadets have won 14 contests by more than six runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Antwerp, Hilltop also got a great game from a two-way player: Giada Rising. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. Those 12 strikeouts gave Rising a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in four of her six plate appearances with four runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Kenley Routt was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. Maggie Altman was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBI.
Hilltop kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive games.
Hilltop pushed their record up to 16-3 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 18.7 runs over those games. As for Antwerp, their win was their first in the conference, bumping their conference record up to 1-5 and their overall record up to 8-10.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Antwerp has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Hilltop struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Antwerp suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Hilltop in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Archers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
