BUTTE — The Billings Senior softball team might have come into the State AA tournament as the No. 4 seed out of the East, but the Broncs are still heading to the title game.
After a walk-off three-run home run from Kara Conway, Senior defeated defending champion Great Falls High 8-5 in a drama-filled afternoon at Stodden Park in Butte Friday.
“I was kind of freaking out,” Conway said about her at-bat. “I was really excited after I hit it, though.”
Senior took a 2-0 lead in the first when Dacee Zent singled to left, scoring Jensen Keller and Laurel Kilgore. Great Falls High would answer in the top of the second when Rachel Porter hit a solo home run to left field, but that would be all for the Bison as they stranded the bases loaded.
Senior added three runs in its half of the second and held a 5-1 for much of the game. Great Falls High threatened in the sixth when Porter, with two runners on, hit another one to left with home-run distance. However, Senior’s Cassidy Venner made a diving catch that carried her over the fence, causing a dead ball and preventing any runs from scoring.
Down to its final three outs in the seventh, Great Falls High would tie the game at 5 on the strength of a three-run homer from Sarah Conway and an RBI single from Porter. But in the bottom of the seventh, Conway would walk it off for Senior.
Senior heads to the championship game at 11 a.m. Saturday, while Great Falls falls to a loser-out game against Billings West at 9 a.m.
For updated tournament results, click here.
