(June 11th, 2015) – WEST UNITY: The Cadets of Hilltop were able to catch their guests from Montpelier off guard in a convincing victory for the boys of West Unity.
After holding the Locomotives scoreless in the top of the first, the bottom half of the inning belonged to Hilltop. The Cadets ripped off 4 runs before handing control of the batter’s box back to their opponent. Montpelier mounted a 1 run response in the top of the second, but Hilltop put up another 3 runs in their next turn at the plate.
Yet it was the third inning that saw the Cadet bats do the most damage. They racked up 9 runs in the frame, pulling away to a 16-1 advantage. The Locos tacked on another run to their total in the top of the fourth, but the Cadets answered with 3 more runs of their own. Needing 17 more runs to extend the game beyond the fifth inning, Montpelier only managed 1, losing to Hilltop.
Kohl Collins pitched all 5 innings for Hilltop, allowing 2 earned runs from 3 hits. The sophomore-to-be secured 3 strikeouts while giving up 3 walks as well.
For Montpelier, it was pitching by committee from the mound. Wyatt Gulick began the game for the Loco boys, pitching for 2.1 innings. He gave up 8 earned runs from 6 hits, striking out 1 batter and walking 6 more. Strubberg came in to relieve him, allowing 5 earned runs from 3 hits before relinquishing the mound to Garret Frantom. Finishing out the final 1.2 innings, Frantom struck out 1 Cadet, walking 3 more, while allowing 1 earned run off of 4 hits.
Senior Nic Schieber provided the bulk of the Hilltop offense in the win. He drove in 6 RBIs while going 2 for 4 from the plate, hitting for a pair of singles. With a 2 for 2 effort of his own, Levi Grant was able to earn 3 RBIs off of a single and a double. As was Isaac VanArsdalen, who replicated that stat line with 3 RBIs from a single and double as well.
Frantom had a solid day from the plate for Montpelier, driving in Dalton Surbey with an RBI double. Del Kelly made the most of his plate appearances, going 2 for 2 with a single and a double in the loss.