GREAT FALLS — All four Eastern AA teams advanced on Thursday at the Class AA state softball tournament in Great Falls. Belgrade, Billings Senior, Billings West and Bozeman Gallatin all earned first-round wins over their Western AA counterparts and will move to Friday’s quarterfinals.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE:
Bozeman Gallatin 8, Helena 5
Gallatin rode a fast start and clutch late-inning hitting to edge Helena 8-5 in Thursday’s opening round. A five-run third inning put the Raptors in control early, led by RBI hits from Zoe Bassham and Addison Bleile. Kelly Coon provided the power with a home run, while Parker Stevens sparked the offense with a double and two runs scored.
West No. 1 seed Helena clawed back with a pair of runs in both the third and fourth innings, including a solo homer by Dakota Lieberg, but couldn’t find late answers. Olivia Kleman went the distance in the circle for Gallatin, scattering eight hits and striking out six to secure the win. Gallatin advances to the quarterfinals and will play Billings Senior on Friday at 10 a.m., while Helena will face Missoula Big Sky at noon.
Billings Senior 15, Missoula Big Sky 5
Billings Senior unleashed a relentless offensive attack, racking up 15 runs on 16 hits to down Big Sky 15-5 in six innings. Madi Ban led the way, going 4-for-5 with a home run and five RBIs. The Broncs struck for six in the first and never looked back, adding three-run innings in both the third and fourth frames.
Riley Tryan earned the win in the circle, pitching 3.1 innings in relief and striking out four. Ivy Runsabove and Sloan Shulund each scored three times, while Octavia Meyer drove in three. Big Sky’s Sadie McGuinn homered twice and drove in four, accounting for most of the Eagles’ offensive production. Billings Senior advances to the quarterfinals and will play Gallatin on Friday at 10 a.m., while Big Sky will face Helena at noon.
Billings West 14, Kalispell Glacier 3
Billings West used a pair of big innings to dominate Glacier 14-3 in a six-inning rout. A five-run second gave the Golden Bears early momentum, and a six-run sixth put the game out of reach. Kylee King homered and drove in four runs, while Tayten Abrams and Tatum Bush combined for five RBIs.
Bush also did the work in the circle, going the distance with eight strikeouts while holding the Wolfpack to six hits. Glacier got RBI hits from Olivia Warriner and Karley Allen but struggled to keep pace after a quiet start. Billings West will face Belgrade at 10 a.m. in the quarterfinals, while Glacier will face Missoula Sentinel at noon in loser-out action.
Belgrade 8, Missoula Sentinel 2
Belgrade’s Olivia Mills dominated on the mound and her teammates backed her up with timely hitting in an 8-2 win over Sentinel. Mills struck out 15 and allowed just six hits over seven innings. A four-run sixth sealed the deal for the Panthers after holding a narrow 4-2 lead.
Ava Lund drove in two runs and scored twice, while Rylee Feight added a key RBI in the fifth. Sentinel’s Makenna Straub homered in the fifth to cut the deficit to two, but the Spartans were held in check the rest of the way. Belgrade will face Billings West at 10 a.m. in the quarterfinals, while Sentinel will face Glacier at noon in loser-out action.
