COVERING THE FIELD (April 28, 2026) … Montpelier senior Bella Ramos hustles into the outfield grass to track down a pop fly.

GLOVEWORK … Hilltop’s Halle Jones backhands a grounder before making a throw to first.

Hilltop 8, Montpelier 3

WEST UNITY — Hilltop rallied from a two-run deficit with a five-run fifth inning as the Cadets took an important step in the Buckeye Border Conference softball race with an 8-3 victory over Montpelier handing the Locos their first conference setback.

Halle Jones led the Cadets (13-2, 5-0 BBC) with three hits including a triple and scoring three runs. She also became the school’s all-time career hits leader with 155, after she had singled in the sixth inning.

Kenley Routt had two hits, including a triple and drove in three runs. Kelsy Connolly singled twice and scored two runs.

Bella Ramos singled twice and scored a run for Montpelier (9-7, 5-1 BBC). Ashtyn Repp homered while Morgan Bechtol and Ashlyn Harter each had a double.

Connolly was also the winning pitcher. She allowed three runs on six hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

MHS 000 210 0 – 3 6 1
HHS 100 052 x – 8 12 0

WP- Kelsy Connolly (IP-7, R-3, H-6, K-3, BB-0)
LP- Cianna Shoup (IP-6, R-8, H-12, K-5, BB-2)
LEADING HITTERS: (Montpelier) Morgan Bechtol — double; Ashlyn Harter — double; Ashtyn Repp — home run, 2 RBIs; Bella Ramos — 2 singles, run; (Hilltop) Halle Jones — 2 singles, triple, 3 runs; Kenley Routt — single, triple, 3 RBIs, run; Kelsy Connolly — 2 singles, 2 runs.