GREAT FALLS — Another meeting between Great Falls CMR and Billings Skyview turned into another battle, but the Rustlers found just enough offense behind a dominant performance in the circle from Ella Cron.
HIGHLIGHTS: CMR earns spot at state with win over Skyview
CMR defeated Skyview 4-2 on Thursday in a Class AA play-in game to advance to the state tournament.
The game was tied 1-1 in the third inning when Hailey Marr popped a ball into the infield. A Skyview miscommunication led to an error, allowing two runs to score to give the Rustlers a 3-1 lead.
Skyview pulled within one in the top of the sixth when Kenna Pfeifle chopped a ball to shortstop, driving in a run to make it 3-2.
But CMR answered immediately in the bottom half. On the first pitch of the inning, Rilee Mares launched a solo home run over the wall — her seventh of the season — to push the Rustlers’ lead back to 4-2.
The Falcons kept themselves in the game defensively, turning a 4-6-3 double play to escape the sixth inning without further damage.
Cron took care of the rest.
The CMR pitcher struck out 15 batters and allowed just two hits in a complete-game effort, finishing the game with a strikeout in the seventh.
CMR finished with six hits in the win. Mares went 2-for-3 with the home run and an RBI, while Ruby Dean also drove in a run.
