D4 SOFTBALL DISTRICTS … Montpelier pitcher Madelyn Hopper was dominant as she registered 12 strikeouts and surrendered just two hits.
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
BRYAN (May 13, 2024) – The first Division IV softball district semifinal at Recreation Park in Bryan featured a good old fashion pitcher’s duel between Montpelier’s Madelyn Hopper and Ayersville’s Kendra Waldron.
The third seeded Locos would manufacture the game’s only run in the sixth inning and that was all the run support Hopper needed as Montpelier knocked off No. 1 seed Ayersville 1-0 to earn their first trip to the district finals since 2013.
Ayersville would get the game’s first two hits on a Makayla Sierra double in the bottom of the first inning and a single by Waldron in the third but both runners would be stranded.
Montpelier threatened for the first time in the fourth as Jada Uribes doubled for Montpelier’s first hit of the night followed by a walk issued to Kelsi Bumb and Lillian Mahan was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs.
Waldron would get out of the jam by striking out Addison Dick on three pitches to keep the game scoreless after 3 1/2 innings.
The game remained scoreless until the sixth as Jada Uribes and Bumb opened the frame with singles.
Waldron would retire Hopper and Lillian Mahan hit into a fielder’s choice that led to Uribes being forced out at third base for the second out of the inning.
Neriah Thorp then delivered off the bench for Montpelier with a pinch-hit single to left field that scored Bumb from second and put the Locos in front 1-0.
A passed ball then put runners at second and third, but Waldron induced a groundout from Bella Ramos to end the inning.
Hopper continued her mastery in the circle the final two innings, retiring the Pilots in order in the sixth and seventh with the game’s final out coming when catcher Lyla Mahan snagged an Addison Zartman pop foul behind home plate to end the game.
On the night Hopper finished with 12 strikeouts and allowed just one Ayersville base runner after the third inning.
Waldron recorded 13 strikeouts for Ayersville while allowing just five hits.
MONTPELIER 000 001 0 – 1 5 0
AYERSVILLE 000 000 0 – 0 2 0
Records: Ayersville 13-5, Montpelier 15-7
WINNING PITCHER: Hopper (7 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 12 strikeouts, 1 walk)
LOSING PITCHER: Waldron (7 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 13 strikeouts, 1 walk)
LEADING HITTERS: (Montpelier) J. Uribes – double, single; (Ayersville) Sierra – double
GETTING THINGS GOING … Jada Uribes smacks a double in the fourth inning for the Locos first hit of the game.
