BBC BATTLE … Kenley Routt slides home for a run in the second inning of a 6-1 win over Montpelier. VIEW 99 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
WEST UNITY – First place in the BBC was on the line in West Unity on Thursday night as last season’s co-champs collided with the winner getting a leg up in the race for the title this season.
Hilltop started fast by taking a 5-0 lead after two innings and rode a solid pitching performance from Kelsy Connolly for a 6-1 win and sole possession of first place in the BBC.
The Cadets did their damage in the first inning after the first two hitters were retired as. Joscelyn Layman drew a walk and Shealyn Brown singles to left to keep the inning going.
Connolly helped her own cause with an RBI single to right and Giada Rising followed with a single to left to drive in another run and make it 2-0.
Sophia Crossgrove capped off the three straight singles as she dropped a ball into right field, scoring Connolly to make it 3-0.
Hilltop added two more in the second as Sophie Graham walked and Kenley Routt singled to put runners on the corners with one out.
With Routt now at second, Layman grounded a single to right field to bring home Graham and Routt to push the lead to 5-0.
Montpelier cracked the scoreboard in the fourth inning after Madelyn Hopper drew a one out walk, Addison Dick and Neriah Thorp put together back-to-back singles to score Lillian Mahan who entered the game as a courtesy runner for Hopper and trimmed the Hilltop lead to 5-1.
The Cadets got the run back in the bottom of the inning though as Routt reached on a dropped third strike and a bunt single by Brown resulted in a Loco error, allowing Routt to score and make it 6-1.
Connolly carried the day for Hilltop over the final three innings as she allowed just two hits the rest of the way while striking out four to give her 11 strikeouts on the night.
MONTPELIER 000 010 0 – 1 6 5
HILLTOP 320 100 x – 6 8 0
Records: Montpelier 6-5 (3-1 BBC), Hilltop 12-4 (5-0 BBC)
WINNING PITCHER: Connolly (7 innings, 6 hits, 1 run, 11 strikeouts, 2 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: Hopper (6 innings, 8 hits, 6 runs, 2 earned, 10 strikeouts, 4 walks)
LEADING HITTERS: (Montpelier) Li. Mahan – double; (Hilltop) Layman – single, 2 RBIs; S. Brown – 2 singles; Crossgrove – 2 singles, RBI
