By: Elliot Schneider
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
ARCHBOLD (May 9, 2025) – The BBC league champ Montpelier Locomotives steamrolled past the NWOAL league champ Archbold Bluestreaks in a non-league matchup.
The Locomotives were led by their ace Kenneth Smeltzer, who held the Bluestreaks to only six hits and one run, while striking out four.
The Locomotives first inning didn’t produce much offense, as the only batters to reach base were Wesley Hartsock, who was walked, and Griffin Cooley, who was hit by a pitch.
The Bluestreaks’ Wyatt Cline picked up two Ks in the inning, starting off strong on the mound for Archbold.
Meanwhile, the Bluestreaks one and only run came in the bottom of the first, when CJ Arroyo-Thompson hit an RBI single to left, plating Tripp Langenderfer.
The second inning was three up and three down for the Locomotives, but it wasn’t much better for the Bluestreaks, as Sean Garcia was the only batter to reach base in the inning when he singled to center.
The third inning finally saw the Locomotives put runs on the board. The bases were quickly loaded and with one out, Cooley stepped up to the plate.
He saw four straight balls pitched, and the batter was walked and that brought in Hartsock for the Locomotives first run of the game.
The next runner crossed home plate due to a balk by Cline, giving the Locomotives a 2-1 lead by the end of the inning without a single RBI recorded.
The Bluestreaks third inning wasn’t much better than the last, as Langenderfer was the only one to reach base on a grounder to short where he outran the throw.
The Locos extended their lead in the fourth, when Smeltzer drilled a two-out, two run double to center, plating Tyler Plourde and Hartsock, giving Montpelier a 4-1 lead by the innings end.
The Bluestreaks followed with a three up and three down fourth inning, struggling to find any rhythm behind the plate.
Montpelier had another quiet inning in the fifth, with Smeltzer being the only one to reach base, as he was walked.
The Bluestreaks had a similar fifth as their opponent, as Bentley was the only batter to reach base, when he was walked.
The Locomotives put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth, as they scored seven runs in the inning.
The scoring run started with an RBI single from Hayden Sharps, followed by back-to-back bases loaded HBP, making the lead 7-1 Montpelier.
With a bases loaded walk, another HBP, and a two-run single from Plourde, the Locomotives had secured an 11-1 lead midway through the sixth, on their way to securing the mercy rule victory.
And they did just that, by leaving the Bluestreaks scoreless in the sixth, giving Montpelier the 11-1 mercy rule victory.
MHS 002 207 – 11 9 0
AHS 100 000 – 1 6 1
Records: MHS 14-2, AHS 11-6
WINNING PITCHER: Smeltzer (6 innings, 6 hits, 1 run, 4 strikeouts, 1 walk)
LOSING PITCHER: Cline (5 innings, 7 hits, 7 runs, 5 strikeouts, 7 walks)
LEADING HITTERS: (Montpelier) Hartsock – 2 singles, 2 RBIs; Smeltzer – double, single, 2 RBIs; Plourde – 2 singles, RBI (Archbold) Langenderfer – double, single; Arroyo-Thompson – single, RBI; Short – single