By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
MONTPELIER (April 21, 2025) – The matchup of state ranked and unbeaten teams on Monday night lived up to its billing.
The Apaches broke open the game in the 11th inning as they strung together four singles to score six runs with two outs to upend the Locos 7-1.
Montpelier starter Kenneth Smeltzer and Fairview starter Elijah Arend dominated early as a single by Fairview’s Cole Mack was the game’s only hit until the bottom of the third.
Tyler Plourde opened the inning for Montpelier with a single to left side and would move to second on an error and then steal third.
Hayden Sharps would drive in the first run of the night with a groundout to shortstop to score Plourde and make it 1-0.
Montpelier put two on in the fourth, but that threat ended with a Fairview double play and the Apaches had two base runners in the fifth, but they were both caught stealing as it remained 1-0 Locos entering the top of the sixth.
Shady Fritch walked to start the frame and after an error and a pair of fielders’ choice groundouts, Fritch scored to square the game at 1-1.
Both teams were held at bay before Montpelier looked to end it in the bottom of the tenth with a two out rally.
Griffin Cooley dropped a single to center and Jaxon Stahler singled to left to put the winning run at second for the Locos.
Fairview pitcher Anthony Singer entered in relief of Jonah Shininger and escaped the jam as he got Malachi Smeltzer to pop out to right to send the game to the 11th inning still tied.
Loco pitcher Hayden Sharps would get a strikeout and a fielder’s choice groundout sandwiched around a Singer single to center before Fairview would take control with two outs.
A pair of walks loaded the bases, and Fritch lined a single to plate two runs for a 3-1 lead. Another run would score before Logan Olinger lined an RBI single to right to extend the lead to 5-1.
Mack was next with a line drive to left and a wild pitch put Olinger on third and moved Mack to second.
The Apaches tacked on two more runs as Arend reached on an error which allowed Olinger and Mack to score and make it 7-1.
Singer slammed the door in the bottom of the inning for the Apaches as he struck out the side to earn the win.
Mack accounted for half of the Apaches hits on the night with four singles and an RBI.
Sharps took the loss for Montpelier after going 6 1/3 innings and giving up seven runs, five of them earned, on seven hits.
FHS 000 001 000 06 – 7 8 5
MHS 001 000 000 00 – 1 7 5
Records: FHS 9-0, MHS 7-1
WINNING PITCHER: Singer (1.1 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts) Other: Arend, Timbrook, King, J. Shininger
LOSING PITCHER: Sharps (6.1 innings, 7 hits, 7 runs, 5 earned, 4 walks, 2 strikeouts) Other: Smeltzer, Hartsock
LEADING HITTERS: (Fairview) Mack – 4 singles, RBI; Fritch – single, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; (Montpelier) Cooley – 2 singles; Stahler – 2 singles