HAMILTON — Billings Central and Belgrade took divergent paths to semifinal victories Friday at the state baseball tournament at Vester Wilson Field. But both earned their place in the championship game.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS:
Central used a walk-off two-run home run by Oliver Prill in extra innings to beat Billings West 4-2, while Belgrade strung together two big innings en route to a 12-2 run-rule win over Hamilton in five innings.
Day 2 scores:
- Game 5: Columbia Falls 7, Frenchtown 5, loser out
- Game 6: Billings Skyview 7, Missoula Big Sky 4, loser out
- Game 7: Billings Central 4, Billings West 2, 8 innings, semifinal
- Game 8: Belgrade 12, Hamilton 2, 5 innings, semifinal
Next for the Rams and Panthers is a clash in the championship game Saturday night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
One swing propels Rams to comeback win
Central had dropped both of its regular-season matchups with the Golden Bears but prevailed in the one that mattered most. And Prill was at the center of it, having delivered the win with a mammoth shot over the left field barrier to incite a major celebration.
"When I hit it, that felt good," said Prill, who seemed to know the ball would carry out as he trotted down the first base line. "I saw (left fielder Brady Randall) turn on it and I was like, 'Oh please.' And finally it was like, let's go."
Central and West are both in their first season of varsity baseball, and both won first-round games Thursday to solidify their state title hopes.
The Golden Bears got the upper hand early in the rubber match, riding six solid innings by starting pitcher Owen Schneider — who incidentally lives next door to Oliver Prill in Billings — and a two-run homer by Chase Wise in the top of the fifth.
The Rams, though, chipped away at their deficit as Paxton Prill drove in Ollin Kulaga with a single in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 2-1, and then in the sixth tied the game as Matteo Harris scored on an error off the bat of Porter Dahlberg.
In extra innings, Harris led off the bottom of the eighth with a single through the hole at shortstop, then stole second base. Then, with one out, Oliver Prill stepped to the plate and came through with the fateful blow off relief pitcher Jaxon King.
"It feels great. It's a sigh of relief," Oliver Prill said. "But it's not over. We have to keep it together and keep going."
In a battle of high-quality left-handed starters, Schneider struck out six in six innings, allowing one earned run. Central's Paxton Prill had eight punchouts in five innings, with his lone mistake coming vs. Wise in the fifth.
But the Rams got a great bit of relief pitching from Zach McDonald, who threw three perfect frames while striking out four to keep Central alive.
"Great job by Zach," Oliver Prill said. "He kept his calm, and that's a hard situation. He pitched great."
West was plagued by four defensive errors, and the Bears struck out 12 times. After Schneider departed in the sixth, the Rams didn't strike out while stringing together quality at bats.
Panthers continue comeback trend
Belgrade fell behind 2-0 in the top of the third inning Friday, and Hamilton had the momentum in front of their loud and supportive home fans.
The Broncs scored twice in that frame, as Bodhi Southwell and Hunter Harness each drove in runs. But ultimately Belgrade took advantage of Hamilton's wildness on the mound.
After scoring four times in the third to take the lead, the Panthers loaded the bases in the fourth and scored seven times, four runs of which came on bases-loaded walks.
Otherwise, Ryas Olson came through with an RBI single and Caleb Seaman brought in two more runs when his shot down the first base line caromed off the bag to make the score 11-2.
The game ended in the bottom of the fifth when the Panthers scored to force the enaction of the 10-run rule.
"This feels great," said Seaman, a sophomore. "I'm on my second year, and we've been a winning program. It's been a blessing."
In all, Belgrade drew eight walks, and "we got a lot of momentum from that," Seaman said. Three errors hurt the Broncs, and Hamilton pitchers were charged with just three earned runs.
Seaman made the game's best defensive play, ranging into the gap to make a diving catch on a ball off the bat of Atticus Southwell and save an extra-base hit — nearly colliding with center fielder Sawyer Olson in the process.
"Our outfield, we call it the 'No Fly Zone,'" Seaman said of the play. "I saw it and I went to get it. There wasn't really any communication on that, but it turned out the way it did, and I'm happy about that."
Panthers starter Mason Zimmer got the win, throwing all five innings while allowing four hits. He struck out four and worked around six walks, and shook off that sudden momentum jolt in the third. It was the second comeback win of the tournament for Belgrade, which rallied from a 4-0 deficit to beat Missoula Big Sky 5-4 in the first round on Friday.
Now Belgrade will look toward Saturday night, where a first-time state champion will be crowned in the third year of varsity baseball in Montana.
"I think Billings Central is a great team, but we're both doing really good," Seaman said. "It's just whoever plays the best baseball at the end of the day will win."
Saturday's matchups:
- Billings West vs. Billings Skyview, loser out, 9 a.m.
- Columbia Falls vs. Hamilton, loser out, 11:30 p.m.
- TBD, third place, 4 p.m.
- Billings Central vs. Belgrade, championship, 6:30 p.m.
