The Montpelier Locomotives will be playing in front of their home fans against the Hilltop Cadets at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Montpelier scored the most runs they've had all season to find success on Tuesday. Everything went their way against Stryker as Montpelier made off with a 20-1 win. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest victory of the season.
Madelyn Hopper made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and only one hit while striking out 11 over four innings pitched. Hopper was also big at the plate, going 4-for-4 with three RBI.
In other batting news, Montpelier got a massive performance out of Katie Terry, who scored two runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Addison Dick, who scored three runs while going 4-for-4.
Meanwhile, Hilltop waltzed into their matchup on Tuesday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They never let the Bombers onto the board and left with a 12-0 win.
Like Montpelier, Hilltop also got a great game from a two-way player: Kelsy Connolly. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. Connolly has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive pitching appearances. Connolly was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Halle Jones and Joscelyn Layman did most of the damage at the plate: Jones scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-3, while Layman scored a run while going 3-for-3. Jones hasn't dropped below two stolen bases for four straight games. Isabella Ackley was another key contributor, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Montpelier pushed their record up to 5-3 with that victory, which was their third straight at home. Those good results were due in large part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs per game. As for Hilltop, they are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matches, which provided a nice bump to their 6-3 record this season.
Wednesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Montpelier has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .496. However, it's not like Hilltop struggles in that department as they've averaged .460. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Montpelier came out on top in a nail-biter against Hilltop in their previous matchup back in April of 2023, sneaking past 8-6. Will Montpelier repeat their success, or does Hilltop have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
