(PHOTO PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REORTER)
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
PETTISVILLE (May 7, 2025) – Montpelier will be the top-seed in Sunday’s Division VII District draw. They are also the outright BBC champions after they shut out Pettisville 8-0 on Wednesday to finish 7-0 in league play. The preseason favorite to win conference is now 12-2 on the year.
Wesley Hartsock didn’t truly have his best on the day as he walked five Blackbird hitters while giving up just three hits.
However, the right-hander worked out of two-on, two-out problems in the second and fourth to keep the Blackbirds off the board.
Offensively, the Locos jumped out early against Pettisville starter Rylan Warner. Hayden Sharps was hit by a pitch, then stole second and third and cruised home when the throw to third got away.
Kenneth Smeltzer started a new scoring chance with a base hit to left and stole second and third as well.
Warner got Griffin Cooley on strikes but walked the next hitter and after a defensive indifference put runners on second and third, Malachi Smeltzer came through with a two-out, two-run single to center to make it 3-0.
Two innings later, Montpelier scored without a hit. Cooley was nailed by a pitch, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.
The Locos top of the order again got a scoring chance in the fifth they made good on. Sharps again was the initiator with a walk, a steal of second and when the throw was muffed, he continued to third.
Kenneth Smeltzer came up with a professional type at-bat when he rapped a breaking pitch on the outside corner the other way for a run-scoring single to push the lead to 5-0.
Pettisville got two hits in the sixth from Creighton Aeschliman and Warner, but in between, Cooley gunned down Aeschliman trying to steal to hinder that threat.
Montpelier put the game away in the seventh, mostly against Ryan Bishop. The Locos turned a pair of walks and run scoring hits from Jaxon Stahler and Malachi Smeltzer to put three more tallies on the board.
Hartsock struck out eight Blackbirds in his six innings of work. Kenneth Smeltzer pitched a 1-2-3 seventh.
Montpelier hosts Ayersville Thursday and travels to NWOAL co-champ Archbold on Friday. Pettisville, who is now 8-7, hosts Delta Thursday and goes to Archbold on Monday.
MHS 301 010 3 – 8 7 0
PHS 000 000 0 – 0 3 3
Records: MHS 7-0, 12-2; PHS 8-7, 3-4 BBC
WINNING PITCHER: Hartsock (6 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts) Other: Smeltzer
LOSING PITCHER: Warner (6.1 innings, 5 hits, 5 runs, 4 earned, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts) Other: R. Bishop
LEADING HITTERS: (Montpelier) K. Smeltzer – 2 singles, RBI, 2 runs; M. Smeltzer – 2 singles, 3 RBIs; (Pettisville) – 3 singles