SCHOOL RECORD … Johnny Fritsch lines a pitch to the outfield in Montpelier’s 33-2 win at Fayette. The 33 runs tied a school record for runs in a game. VIEW 66 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
FAYETTE (April 16, 2024) – Murphy’s Law…anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Montpelier rang up 12 first inning runs on just two hits, thanks to eight Fayette walks and four Eagle errors, and the day got worse from there as the Locos scored a 33-2 five-inning win.
Eagle starter Carter Lavinder just couldn’t get in rhythm in the opening frame as he walked six of the ten hitters he faced.
Fayette didn’t help him defensively when they had the chance, committing four mistakes, as Kenneth Smeltzer and Tyler Plourde were the only Locos to record hits.
Caden Leininger took over to get out of the first, but the Locos scored 10 more in the second as the Eagles made three more errors in the field.
The big blows in the second were a two-run double from Wesley Hartsock, another two-run double by Kamron Smith and RBI singles off the bats of Landon Fackler twice over along with one from Smeltzer.
The Locos ran everyone into the lineup, but it seemed every Loco found a gap. Fackler’s ‘s three-run double was the big hit in a six-run third and Jaxon Richmond added a long two-run single in the same inning. Johnny Fritsch capped the Loco 21 hit attack with a two-run single in the fifth.
“Coming into this game we just wanted to keep the bats hot,” Loco coach Toby Hutchison said. “We had a chance to get our JV kids into the game and they were impressive sticking the ball as well.”
“I expected our first line guys to come out and keep the bats rolling but we were happy the way our younger kids came out and hit the ball, they did a nice job for us. It gives you a good feeling to know you can replace people and know that it gave them a chance to play.”
Fackler went the first three innings on the mound, giving up two unearned runs in the third. A walk and an error set up Hawk Brehm’s two-RBI double that accounted for the Eagle runs.
MONTPELIER (12)(10)6 32 – 33 20 1
FAYETTE 002 00 – 2 2 12
Records: Montpelier 4-4 (3-0 BBC), Fayette 1-4 (0-3 BBC)
WINNING PITCHER: Fackler (3 innings, 1 hit, 2 runs, 0 earned, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk) OTHER: Stahler
LOSING PITCHER: Lavinder (0.1 innings, 2 hits, 9 runs, 7 earned, 0 strikeouts, 6 walks) OTHER: Jacob, Leininger
LEADING HITTERS: (Montpelier) Fackler – double, single, 6 RBIs, 3 runs; K. Smith – double, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Hartsock – 2 RBIs, 3 runs; Smeltzer – 2 singles, RBI, 3 runs; Farley – 2 singles; Eidenier – 2 singles, RBI, 3 runs; Stahler – 3 singles; Eitniear – single, 2 RBIs; Richmond – single, 2 RBIs; Fritsch – 2 singles, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; (Fayette) Brehm – double, 2 RBIs
