(PHOTOS BY BREANA RELIFORD / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
SAFE … Montpelier’s Jaxon Stahler slides home with a run in Saturday’s 6-2 win over Evergreen.
PLAYING SMALL BALL … Austin Burghardt of Evergreen attempts a bunt during Saturday’s nonconference game at Montpelier.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
MONTPELIER (April 12, 2025) – Last season when Montpelier traveled to Evergreen, the Vikings handed the Locos a couple of 10-run losses in a doubleheader. This season Montpelier got some retribution.
The Locos put a four-spot in the first inning then held off a number of Evergreen threats to post a 6-2 win.
“Evergreen’s a good team,” Montpelier coach Toby Hutchison expressed afterward. “We have always played them, and they have always handed it to us, and I feel we beat a pretty solid program and moving forward hopefully that gives our kids more confidence and more incentive.”
The Locos got a couple breaks early in the bottom of the first. Wesley Hartsock’s pop fly off starter Bryce Bolger, fell in no-man’s land down the right field line for a hit.
After Hayden Sharps bounced a single through the left side, Kenneth Smeltzer’s pop fly to short left turned into an RBI single when Austin Burghardt lost control of the ball on a skidding attempt.
Griffin Cooley’s bullet in the gap became a two-run double and a fly ball marked the fourth Loco run.
“We played North Central last night (a 6-0 win) and we started to hit the ball a little better,” Hutchison said.
“Good weather like last night and today always helps. We mixed the lineup a little bit and they came out and performed and if we are to be successful this year, that’s what we expect.”
“The bottom of our lineup has carried us the last two games and today the top hit and produced runs early. That’s what you want to do in any game, you want to get up early.”
Sharps’ run scoring single put the Locos up 5-0 in the second, but Bolger picked Sharps off to end the threat.
Bolger and reliever Chris Shrader held the Locos off the board the next three innings. Evergreen got two runners on in the second, but Smeltzer got out of the inning on a ground out, then left Bolger in scoring position in the third after getting to second after a one out single.
The Vikings broke through in the fourth when Jaxon Stahler committed an error on Layne Vance’s bouncer, then a wild pitch and a throwing error allowed the first Viking run.
Colton Robertson’s double put yet another Viking runner in scoring position, and again Smeltzer got a big third out with a strikeout.
Two more Smeltzer strikeouts got him out of a runner on third situation in the fourth. Vance’s base hit, and Robertson’s ringing triple to right got Evergreen within 5-2 in the sixth, but Robertson was left stranded at third.
After Montpelier got an insurance run in the sixth, thanks to a two-out throwing error, the first two Viking hitters reached in the seventh.
One final time Smeltzer locked down an Evergreen scoring chance as he got a strikeout, then Malachi Smeltzer hauled in Shrader’s deep drive to left and another strikeout to end the game.
Smeltzer gave up four hits, hit three Viking hitters and walked two more but got most of his nine strikeouts at the right times to get the win.
Bolger took the loss, allowing seven Loco hits and five earned runs, walking one and striking out one.
Shrader kept the Vikes in the game, giving up just one unearned run, and two hits. The sophomore struck out three and walked one.
EHS 000 101 0 – 2 5 0
MHS 410 001 X – 6 9 3
Records: EHS 3-4, MHS 4-0
WINNING PITCHER: Smeltzer (7 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts)
LOSING PITCHER: Bolger (3 innings, 7 hits, 5 runs, 5 earned, 1 walk, 1 strikeout) Other: Shrader
LEADING HITTERS: (Evergreen) Robertson – triple, double, RBI; Vance 2 singles; (Montpelier) Sharps – double, single, RBI; Cooley – double, 2 RBIs; M. Smeltzer – 2 singles