BIG FIRST INNING … Kenneth Smeltzer rips an RBI single to left as part of a three-run first inning by the Locos.
(PHOTOS BY BREANA RELIFORD / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
GROUNDBALL OUT … Delta’s Brady Morr reaches out and slaps a groundball to first base in the opening frame of the Panthers game at Montpelier.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
MONTPELIER (May 12, 2025) – After running the table in the Buckeye Border Conference and clinching the top-seed in the upcoming Division VII District Tournament, the one thing Montpelier has left to do is…well, keep doing what they have been doing.
The Locos took control early against a fractured Delta pitching staff and Kenneth Smeltzer racked up six RBIs in a 13-0 romp over the Panthers to raise their record to 15-3 on the season.
“We have a pretty tough schedule heading forward,” Loco coach Toby Hutchison said. “We have Swanton tomorrow, Bryan on Thursday and Hicksville on Friday.”
“We don’t play in the tournament until next Thursday but there’s good teams at the end of our schedule to get us prepared for the tournament. We have to keep playing hard.”
With Carlos DeSantos and Brady Morr on the shelf with ailments, Delta turned to Emric Friess on the mound and Montpelier greeted him with a three-run first.
A walk, stolen base and a run-scoring single from Kenneth Smeltzer gave the Locos the only run they needed but they were far from through for the night.
Griffin Cooley’s base hit and another walk loaded the sacks with one out. Malachi Smeltzer nubbed into what should have been a force at the plate, but the ball came loose allowing a run to score and put runners at second the third where Jacob Lyons’ fly ball tacked on the third run.
Three walks around a hit batter made it 4-0 in the second, then Wesley Hartsock’s two-out base RBI hit and Kenneth Smeltzer’s two-run double that painted the left field line made it 7-0 after the third.
Two hit batters and two walks from reliever Jadon Lohman aided a six-run Loco fourth with Kenneth Smelter delivering the biggest blow, a base-jacked triple to deep center. Hartsock and CJ Fidler also had run producing hits in the inning.
Meanwhile on the mound, Hartsock, who had a bit of a control problem against Pettisville, was almost pinpoint. The right-hander walked just one and gave up only a pair of hits, mowing down 11 straight Delta hitters in one stretch.
“Wesley threw a great game tonight,” Hutchison said. “He struggled a little against Pettisville his last time out, but he stayed under 70 pitches tonight and guys helped him out putting the bat on the ball.”
After the Locos trio of games this week, they will await the winner of the Fayette-Stryker matchup in a Sectional Final to be played at Montpelier Thursday May 22nd.
DHS 000 00 – 0 2 2
MHS 313 6x – 13 8 0
Records: DHS 6-11, MHS 15-3
WINNING PITCHER: Hartsock (5 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts)
LOSING PITCHER: Friess (3 innings, 5 hits, 7 runs, 3 earned, 5 walks, 0 strikeouts) Other: Lohman, Flickinger
LEADING HITTERS: (Delta) – 2 singles; (MHS) K. Smeltzer – triple, double, single, 6 RBIs; Hartsock – 2 singles, 2 RBIs, 3 runs