The Hilltop Cadets will square off against the Swanton Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.
If Hilltop beats Swanton with 12 runs on Thursday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two contests with that exact score. Hilltop blew past Fairview 12-3 on Tuesday. The Cadets' victory was nothing new given the team hasn't lost yet this season.
Giada Rising spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on eight hits and racked up six Ks.
Kenley Routt
| 03/25/25 vs Fairview | 1 |
| 03/22/25 @ Batavia | 1 |
| 03/22/25 @ Taylor | 2 |
On the hitting side, Kenley Routt was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. Routt is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: she's snagged at least one every time she's taken the field this season. Another player making a difference was Libbie Baker, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one triple.
Hilltop always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .568. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, Swanton gave their fans exactly what they wanted out of a home opener on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 14-4 margin over Pettisville.
Adriana Elliott made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed four innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Elliott was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 3-for-3. Those three hits gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Cara Ludlow, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, six RBI, and two runs. Gabbie Orner was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Hilltop's win bumped their record up to 3-0. As for Swanton, their victory bumped their record up to 1-0.
Hilltop came up short against Swanton when the teams last played back in May of 2022, falling 10-6. Can Hilltop avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
