More than 23 years later, and it is still kind of hard to believe that it happened.

You better believe that you would never see it happen today.

It was Saturday, May 27, 2000, and Alicia (Wheeler) Kachmarik pitched Butte Central to the Class A State softball title while her eye was in the process of swelling shut.

Wheeler and the Maroons beat Billings Central 2-1 in the first championship game in Billings as Butte Central extended its winning streak to 52 games with its second straight state championship.

In the fourth inning of the semifinal game, Billings Central’s Kitty Earl-Reiter hit a bullet of a line shot back to the pitcher. Wheeler got her mitt up enough to barley tick the ball before it hit her in the face.

She was rushed into ex-rays, but she was back in the dugout before the semifinal game was over.

Then, remarkably, Alicia pitched the championship game a couple of hours later, and the Maroons beat Billings Central again. Between pitches, Alicia pulled down on her cheek to try to slow down the inevitable. Her eye was swelling shut. 

Today, she would have been placed in concussion protocol, and her high school career would have ended with that line drive. Sure, that is the way that we should take care of our athletes. If they did it in 2000, though, we wouldn’t have the great story of a pitcher pulling down on her cheek — so she could see — between pitches.

During BC’s back-to-back championship seasons, Wheeler posted a 33-0 record in the pitcher’s circle. She was also a weapon at the plate, smacking a pair of hits — with her dominant eye swelling shut — in the title game.

Oh, and then she gave a valedictorian speech with a shiner straight out of Rocky.

Listen in to this episode of the ButteCast as Alicia talks about that day and that incredible Butte Central team. Listen as she talks about being a part of Copper City Softball, which is rebuilding Butte’s softball culture in an effort to see another team like the one Alicia played on.

Listen as she talks about going to college in California and starting her career working in the Bay Area. Listen as she talks about returning to the Mining City and how she still loves the sport of softball.

Today’s podcast is presented by Thriftway Super Stops. Download the TLC app and start saving today.