Sophomore fires perfect game in first varsity start for Bulldogs
Maybe we should start calling the ballpark “4 Legends Stadium.”
While making his first career varsity start, Butte High sophomore Hunter Davies lived up to his nickname in a big way. Davies, known as “The Legend” since his days playing in the 7-8 division of the Northwest Little League, fired a perfect game Tuesday afternoon as Butte High bounced back from a couple of tough losses with a 15-0 win over Townsend on Miners Field at 3 Legends Stadium.
The game was called after four innings by the run rule.
Davies needed just 41 pitches — 26 of which went for strikes — to get Townsend to go 12 up, 12 down. He struck out three and relied on some stellar defense from his infielders for the perfecto.
Shortstop Cayde Stajcar made a couple of spectacular plays, and first baseman Karsen McEwen made a great play, snagging a wide throw and slapping a tag in one motion, to keep Townsend off the bases.
Stajcar also blasted an inside-the-park home run, burning the center fielder before racing around the bases.
Butte High did its damage on 10 hits, and the improving Townsend squad committed just one error.
Stajcar went 2 for 2 with three RBIs, while Lucas Harris-Huerta went 3 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Tegan Duffy poked t singles, while Tocher Lee, Matthew Donaldson and Gunner Bushman each smacked one.
Lee, Stajcar and Bushman worked walks, while Logan Carden and McEwen each hit by pitches. Each Butte High player either had a hit or scored a run in the win that followed two tough losses.
Butte High dropped a 3-2 home decision to Dillon on Friday before heading to Helena for a 3-1 loss to East Helena on Saturday.
Dillon’s Cohen Hartman pitched six innings, striking out nine, to hold down the Bulldogs Friday in Butte.
The Beavers did their damage on just one hit, a single by Andrew Bartlome. The team drew seven walks, and Marcus Lagunas was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Stajcar went 3 for 3 with a triple to lead the Bulldogs. Matthew Donaldson, Bushman, Harris-Huerta and Will Stepan singled.
Liam Priebe fired five innings for East Helena Saturday. Jack Taylor pitched two innings to of relief to get the win.
Kash Walker doubled in Taylor with the go-ahead run, breaking a 1-all tie in the bottom of the sixth. Priebe then reached on an error, scoring Walker.
Butte High could only muster three hits in the loss, a double by Stajcar and two singles by Stepan.
Butte High will head to Billings Friday to take on Billings West. The Bulldogs will stay in the Magic City to take on Billings Skyview on Saturday. The next Butte home game is an April 24 showdown against Butte Central at the home of the legends.
Central goes back-to-back
Butte Central’s baseball team is officially on tear.
The Maroons picked up their first win of the season Thursday in Laurel, battling back from a 10-2 hole for a 13-10 win.
On Tuesday, BC proved that the win was not a fluke with a 3-2 victory at East Helena.
A two-run single by Colt Hassler proved to be the difference. That big hit, which came in the top of the third inning, put the Maroons up 3-0.
Kelton Berger, the hero of Thursday’s win, pitched five and two thirds innings for the win. He struck out three, gave up three hits and worked around four walks. Gunar O’Brien got the last four outs for the save.
Central picked up the win with just two hits. O’Brien also singled in the win. Berger, Tony Stajcar and Kelsen Brackett drew walks, while Beau McGree, Treigh Hollow, Trapper Stajcar and Tony Stajcar were hit by pitches.
The Stajcar cousins each stole a base.
Killian Snarr, Kai Richey, Boston Adams and Liam Priebe singled for East Helena.
Berger hit the first home run in the history of the Butte Central baseball program to highlight Thursday’s win.
Trapper Stajcar pitched four and two thirds inning of relief to get the victory in that game. O’Brien joined Berger with a three-hit game. Berger doubled and drove in three runs. Jack Nagle added a single and a double and three RBIs, and Berger knocked in two runs.
McGree also poked a pair of hits. He joined Trapper Stajcar, O’Brien, Nagle and Tony Stajcar with two runs scored in the win.
Dallas Jackson went 3 for 4 with a triple and three RBIs to lead Laurel. Kale Hunter, Jack Carpenter and Luke Fox doubled.
The Maroons will head to Townsend Thursday. They play host to Livingston next Tuesday before battling the Bulldogs on Thursday.
Maroons drop three at Stodden
Butte Central’s softball team dropped three home games in the past week at Stodden Park. They fell 11-8 to Corvallis on Thursday, lost 17-4 to Hamilton on Saturday and dropped a 10-0 decision to Stevensville on Tuesday.
The young Maroons, though, saw some pretty good individual efforts. BC’s roster includes three juniors, four sophomores, eight freshmen and one eighth grader.
Stevensville ace Maddix Yeager had a huge game Tuesday to hold the BC bats at bay. She struck out six and gave up three singles in a 10-0 win that was called by the run rule. Maddix also tripled in the victory.
Olivia Hanson smacked three singles and drove in two runs to lead the Stevensville offensive. Lilly Newsom, Molly Davids each added two hits.
Kodee Badovinac’s two singles led the Maroons. Fellow freshman Kenzie McQueary added a single.
Against Corvallis on Thursday, the Maroons led 7-6 before the Blue Devils ripped off five runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Ella Daly, Scarlette Lendak and Taylor Anderson each smacked two singles to lead Corvallis. Bella Cardullo doubled, and Daly and Lendak each drove in three runs.
Sophomore third baseman Marly Mansanti hit a pair of doubles for the Maroons. Junior catcher Arika Stajcar and freshman pitcher Braelynn Schelin added doubles, and freshman Natalie Osterman singled in a run.
Freshman Cambri Campbell added two singles for BC.
Against Hamilton, it was an 11-run fifth inning by the Broncs that did in the Maroons. Leadoff hitter Mariah Johnson smacked two hits and drove in three runs to lead Hamilton. Casey Kennedy and Addalyn Henderson each knocked in two runs for the Broncs, who did their damage on 15 hits.
Osterman went 2 for 3 with a double from the leadoff spot for BC. Badovinac hit two singles, and freshman Zayona Otherbull, Stajcar and Mansanti each added a hit.
The Maroons will have a week off before playing host to Dillon next Wednesday.
Corvallis 11, Butte Central 8
Corvallis 401 100 5 — 11 11 4
Butte Central 121 120 1 — 8 8 6
Caitlin Nelson and Bella Cardullo; Braelynn Schelin and Arika Stajcar. W — Nelson. L — Schelin.
CORVALLIS (1-4, 1-3) — Ella Daly 2-5, Lacey Jessop 0-3, Brenna Bear 0-1, Caitln Nelson 0-4, Sophie Cooper 1-3, Libby Jessop 2-4, Kirsten Race 0-0, Scarlette Lendak 2-3, Savanna Johnson 0-2, Jossalynn Lendak 1-2, Taylor Anderson 2-3, Bella Cardullo 1-3.
BUTTE CENTRAL (0-3, 0-2) — Cambri Campbell 2-4, Natalie Osterman 1-5, Braelynn Schelin 1-3, Zayonna Otherbull 1-4, Kodee Badovinac 0-2, Arika Stajcar 1-4, Sophia Gelling 0-2, Marly Mansanti 2-3, Evyn Smith 0-4.
2B — Cardullo; Mansanti 2, Stajcar, Schelin. RBIs — Daly 3, S. Lendak 3, Cardullo 2; Osterman 2, Campbell 1, Otherbull 1, Smith 1.
Hamilton 17, Butte Central 4
Hamilton 204 0(11) — 17 15 1
Butte Central 000 3( 1) — 4 7 5
Melanie Race and Addison Flynn; Braelynn Schelin and Arika Stajcar. W — Race. L — Schelin.
HAMILTON (4-2, 3-0) — Mariah Johnson 2-5, Addison Flynn 2-5, Melanie Race 1-4, Trinity Nelson 0-0, Dawsyn Ekin 2-4, Casey Kennedy 2-3, Coco Vachon 2-3, Kennedi Cooper 2-3, Hayleigh Savage 0-2, Addalyn Henderson 1-2, Hadley Lockhart 1-3.
BUTTE CENTRAL (0-4, 0-3) — Natalie Osterman 2-3, Braelynn Schelin 0-3, Sophia Gelling 0-2, Zayonna Otherbull 1-2, Kodee Badovinac 2-3, Arika Stajcar 1-3, Evyn Smith 0-0, Olivia Scott 0-2, Marly Mansanti 1-2, Brylee Armstrong 0-1, Sawyer Svejkovsky 0-1, Chloe Wright 0-0.
2B — Cooper, Osterman. RBIs —Johnson 3, Kennedy 2, Henderson 2, Race 1, Ekin 1, Vachon 1, Cooper 1; Osterman 2, Badovinac 1, Svejkovsky 1.
Stevensville 10, Butte Central 0
Stevensville 004 511 — 10 11 2
Butte Central 000 000 — 6 3 3
Maddix Yeager and Molly Davids; Braelynn Schelin and Arika Stajcar. W — Yaeger. L — Schelin.
STEVENSVILLE (5-2, 3-2) — Jaidan Oyler 1-5, Lilly Newson 2-3, Davids 2-4, Morgan Yeager 0-2, Kenzi Frost 1-3, Maddix Yeager 1-3, Khloe Frost 0-2, Emma Tan 0-0, Olivia Hanson 3-4, Emilee Ross 1-4.
BUTTE CENTRAL (0-5, 0-4) — Natalie Osterman 0-3, Schelin 0-3, Kenzie McQueary 1-2, Zayonna Otherbull 0-3, Kodee Badovinac 2-3, Sophia Gelling 0-2, Stajcar 0-1, Marly Mansanti 0-2, Evyn Smith 0-1.
3B — Maddix Yeager. RBIs — Newsom 2, Hanson 2, Ross 2, Davids, Maddix Yeager.
Bulldogs go 1-1 against Helena schools
Butte High’s softball team won one and lost one last week, playing Western AA games against Helena High and Helena Capital.
The Bulldogs fell 7-6 to Helena High Thursday at Stodden Park. They then beat Capital 3-1 Saturday in Helena.
Butte and Helena were tied at 5 before Heidi Ricketts scored on an error and Keira Cambell stole home in the top of the sixth inning. Campbell, Ricketts, Delta Lieberg and Faith Howard each smacked two hits to lead the Bengals in the victory. Howard pitched the distance, striking out seven, for the win.
Butte High out hit Helena 14-12 in the loss. Allie Becker and Gracie Jonart each smacked three singles to lead the way. Madisyn Swanson hit a double and a single, while driving in two, and Gracie Ferriter hit two singles. Ashlinn Mullaney, Matie Stepan, Ally Godbout and Kendallyn Schad also singled in the game.
Stepan joined Swanson with two RBIs. Becker and Jonart each drove in one.
Mullaney struck out seven in the loss.
Butte High pounded 11 hits to back up a strong pitching performance by Mullaney in the win at Capital. Mullaney fanned eight in the complete-game victory.
Stepan went 3 for 3 with two doubles and a pair of RBIs to lead the Bulldog attack. Jonart hit a double and a single, while Swanson and Schad each hit two singles. Ferriter added a hit in the win.
Ella Krepps hit three singles to lead the Bruins. Ali Miller, Jaiden Grooms and Sophie Smith each hit one.
Butte High is back in action Friday at home against Missoula Big Sky. That game was moved back one day because of the weather forecast.
Butte High sweeps Dillon on track
Dillon did not bring a full team to Tuesday’s dual with Butte High at the Chalie Merrifield Track inside the Gene Fogarty Complex. (Results)
But the Bulldogs do not have to apologize for their performance in picking up the victories. Butte High’s boys won 136-3, while the girls picked up a 109-7 victory. A Bulldog won every event of the day, including the relays.
On the girls’ side, Dylann Bartoletti won the 100- and 200-meter races. She just missed a qualify mark in the 100, which was one of the best events of the day. Bartoletti, a senior, finished in 13.08 seconds for the win. Eighth grader Saege Grey took second in 13.19.
Another great race saw freshman Evelyn Smith win the 400 in 1 minute, 7.27 seconds. Junior Franki Salusso took second at 1:07.92. In the discus, Allie Ballenski took home the title with a mark of 93 feet, 9 inches. Fellow Bulldog junior Emma Johnson placed second in 92-6.
Freshman Milee Stillwagon ran to wins in the 800 and 1,600.
Junior Cadence Graham won the 300 hurdles in a time of 49.50 seconds, closing in on a qualifying time.
Other Bulldogs to post wins include Mylee Demarais in the shot put, Brityn Stewart in the javelin, Darby Harrington in the high jump, Peyton Trabert in the pole vault, Kloe Dickinson in the long jump, Elly Rumler in the 3,200, and Penelope Luebke in the 110 hurdles.
Junior Jacob Galle won both hurdles races, while seniors Brett Polich and Sam Henderson with qualifying marks to lead the Butte High boys.
Polich, who threw 49-2 on Tuesday, while Samson posted a personal best by clearing 6-5 to win the high jump. Both previously eclipsed the state standard in those events. For Polich, that included a throw of 51-2 in a victory Saturday against Glacier in Kalispell.
The race of the day might have been the 1,600, where Levi Wiltsie won with a time of 508.32. Fellow Butte junior Lincoln Zell took second in 5:08.73.
Senior Mason Lieber cleared 11-6 to win the pole vault, beating Butte junior Bradey Doyle by six inches. In the long jump, junior Cohen Andrews won with a leap of 20-11.25, missing the qualifying mark by less than an inch. Senior Dylan “Bobby” Bache placed second at 20-10.5.
Also for Butte High, Sam Sampson won the 100, Miner Lee took the 200, Bache won the 400, Charle Killebrew won the 800, Camden Houchin ran to victory in the 3,200, Colt Stenson won the discus and Braydon Pierce posted a win in the javelin.
On Saturday, Glacier swept the Bulldogs in the dual. The Wolfpack won the boys’ meet 98-67-46.33. They won the girls’ battle 102-43. (Results)
Sampson won the 100 and took second in the 200, while junior Ryan Hanson won the high jump and took second in the long jump and triple jump.
Junior Ziggy Okrusch won the 800, Houchin won the 1,600, and Leber won the pole vault, clearing 11-6.
On the girls’ side, Bartoletti ran to victory in the 100 and 200. Graham won the 400, Smith picked up a win in the 800, and Stewart won the javelin with a season-best mark of 123-8.
Butte High’s girls also won the 1,600-meter relay. Autum Clary, Graham, Salusso and Smith each ran a leg.
Butte High’s boys will host the Dahlberg Invitational Friday. The Bulldog girls will head to the Optimist Meet in Great Falls.
BC posts wins on East Helena track
Butte Central’s track team finished fourth out of four in a meet in East Helena Tuesday. (Results)
Helena Capital took the boys’ title with 206.5 points. The Bruins were followed by East Helena at 139, Helena High at 97.5 and BC at 73. The Helena High girls won with 177 points. The Bengals were followed by Capital at 164, East Helena at 89 and Central at 36.
BC enior Keefer McGree clinched a spot in the Class A State meet. He won the 100-meter hurdles with a qualifying time of 16.09. McGree also won the long jump with a leap of 19 feet, 9 ½ inches, and he ran to second in the 300 hurdles.
Sophomore Danny McCarthy also grabbed two wins for the Central boys. He ran to victories in the 100 and 200.
On the girls’ side, freshman Evyn Tippett won the 100 with a personal-best time of 14.11 seconds. She also took third in the 400 and fourth in the 200.
Junior Caden Tippett also had a big day. She took second in the shot put with a person record of 30 feet, 6 inches. She placed third in the discus.
On Saturday, BC competed at the Gallatin Valley Invitational in Bozeman. That meet saw 19 boys’ teams and 16 girls’ teams score points. (Results)
McCarthy took fourth in the 100, while sophomore Teghan Sparks ran to second in the 400. BC also placed fourth in the 1,600-meter relay. Palmer Kellicut, Patrick Stimatz, McCarthy and McGree ran a leg in that race.
The Maroons are done for the week. They will not compete in any meets leading up to Easter.
Weldon victory highlights Bulldog tennis
Butte High’s tennis teams did not pick up a lot of victories Thursday when the Bulldogs took on Missoula Sentinel and Missoula Hellgate in Missoula.
Sentinel swept Butte High, winning 7-1 in the boys’ and girls’ battles. Hellgate took down the Dogs 8-0 on both sides.
Sophomore Matthew Weldon, though, was a bright spot for the Bulldogs. He beat Bowen Pratt of Sentinel in a 1-6, 6-4, 10-8 thriller in the No. 1 singles match.
“He’s a strong force this year, and he’s only a sophomore,” Butte High coach Shawndee Gratton said of Weldon. “We haven’t had a trophy since 2007, so the kid is on a mission.”
Butte High’s other victory on the day came from Emily Allred and Danika Smith. They won in straight sets at No. 4 doubles in the girls’ battle with Sentinel.
The Bulldogs head back to Missoula on Saturday for the Western AA meet.
BOYS
Missoula Sentinel 7, Butte High 1
Singles
Matthew Weldon, Butte, def. Bowen Pratt 1-6, 6-4, 10-8
Ben Stake, Sentinel, def. Tashi Hanley 6-1, 6-3
Blase Olsen, Sentinel, def. Drew Hanson 6-0, 6-2
Willam Nowen, Sentinel, def. Indro Paramanik 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
Kane Szalay/Colter Elam, Sentinel, def. Philip Russo/Josh Schroder 6-1, 6-0
Preston Thormahlen/Ethan Strizich, Sentinel, def. Jason Johns/Cole Skeel 6-1, 9-7
Everett Peters/Weston Lutey, Sentinel, def. Briggs Joseph/Jaxon Jonart 6-4, 5-7, 10-6
John Hurteau/Sloan Kindseth, Sentinel, def. Matthew Lockmer/Archer Adams 6-1, 6-2
Missoula Hellgate 8, Butte High 0
Singles
Jack Currie Welch, Hellgate, def. Matthew Weldon 6-0, 6-0
N/A, Hellgate, def. Josh Schrader 6-0, 6-0
Brendan Cowie, Hellgate, def. Tashi Hanley 6-2, 6-1
Max Watters, Hellgate, def. Bryce Gratton 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
Sam Ender/Andrew Duman, Hellgate, def. def. Jason Johns/Cole Skeel 6-0, 6-0
Oscar Hanford/Nicco Kujawa, Hellgate, def. Briggs Joseph/Jaxon Jonart 6-1, 6-2
Ryan Meng/David Andrew, Hellgate, def. Phillip Russo/Drew Hanson 6-1, 6-2
Gabe Hammitt/Eli Hammitt, Hellgate, def. def. Matthew Lockmer/Archer Adams 6-4, 6-4
GIRLS
Missoula Sentinel 7, Butte High 1
Singles
Jacelyn Cheyney, Sentinel, def. Rachel Law 6-1, 6-1
Claire Karlovich, Sentinel, def. Murphy Sullivan 3-6, 6-5, 10-5
Ava Rice, Sentinel, def. Avery Blue 6-2, 6-3
Greta Fero, Sentinel, def. def. Allissa Pennock 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
Lovis Tegeder/Taylor Cook, Sentinel, def. Ayva Gerry/Hallie Vanderlind 6-2, 7-5
Rose Richmond/Eliza Ascher, Sentinel, def. Chloe Jewell/Sienna Bradley 6-2, 6-2
Taeya Shvarkman/Drew Bohm, Sentinel, def. Aubrie llmendinger/Sofia Groesbeck 6-0, 6-0
Emily Allred/Danika Smith, Butte, def. Hazel Phares/Maya Strawbridge 6-3, 7-6
Missoula Hellgate 8, Butte High 0
Singles
N/A, Hellgate, def. Murphy Sllivan 6-0, 6-0
N/A, Hellgate, def. Avery Blue 6-0, 6-0
R. Holler, Hellgate, def. Rachel Law 6-0, 6-0
B Stone, Hellgate, def. Carliegh Donaldson 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
H. Massy/ S. Tolleson-Knee, Hellgate, def. Chloe Jewell/Sienna Bradley 6-0, 6-1
D. Clark/Elly Stockman, Hellgate, def. Ayva Gerry/Hallie Vanderlinde 6-1, 6-0
J. Howder/Arianna Roberts, Hellgate, def. Aubrie Almendinger/Sofia Groesbeck 6-4, 6-3
Anias Currey/Addie Tellawinger, Hellgate, def. Jordyn Yelenich/Reena Hubber 6-0, 6-1
Central competes on home courts
Butte Central competed at home Corvallis on Saturday. That came after the Maroons battled Dillon last Tuesday in East Helena.
Owen McPartland grabbed an exciting three-set win in No. 1 singles against Dillon. He won in straight sets in the match with Corvallis.
On the girls’ side, Logan LeProwse and Mackenzie Cupp picked up singles victories against Corvallis. LeProwse won a tiebreaker, and Cupp won in straight sets.
The Maroons traveled to Belgrade to take on the Panthers’ JV team Tuesday. Results from those matches, however, were not submitted in time for this roundup.
BC’s next scheduled action is at home against East Helena on May 1.
Butte Central vs. Dillon
BOYS
Singles
Owen McPartland, BC, def. Zach Sandall 1-6, 6-3, 10-2
Zach Maki, Dillon, def. Jim Bradshaw
Atlan Graham, Dillon, def. Joe Bradshaw 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
Ben Lund/Declan Oswald, Dillon, def. Joe Bradshaw/Conan Holmes 6-0, 6-1
Aydan Estes/Danner Pfoytar, Dillon, def. James Holmes/Connor Hardy 8-2
Carson Fluckinger/Jim Pyer, Dillon, def. Owen McPartland/Jim Bradshaw
GIRLS
Singles
McGabe, Dillon, def. Presli Smith 6-1, 6-1
Gabrielle Thomas, Dillon, def. Arwen Regester
Doubles
Sam Stedman/Skylar LaPierre, Dillon, def. Logan LeProwse/Presli Smith
Anelise Maki/Aliyah Rainer, Dillon, def. Mackenzie Cupp/Sloan Peterson
Butte Central vs. Corvallis
BOYS
Singles
McPartland, BC, def. Pierce Yaskus 6-3, 6-2
Handley Jessop, Corvallis, def. Jim Bradshaw 4-6, 6-4, 10-2
Cody Humphrey, Corvallis, def. Joe Bradshaw 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
Emmett Allsop/Brennon Fehr, Corvallis, def. def. McPartland/Jim Bradshaw 2-6, 7-6, 10-5
Atticus Chavez/Bradley Powell, Corvallis, def. def. Joe Bradshaw/Conan Holmes 6-3, 6-2
Jackson Pliley/Beauden Therian, Corvallis, def. Hardy/Karter Lindau 6-2, 6-2
GIRLS
Singles
Ava Wilcox, Corvallis, def. def. Smith 6-2, 6-2
LeProwse, BC, def. Eliana Hubert 6-4, 4-6, 10-6
Lottie Jessop, Corvallis, def. Regester 6-2, 6-2
Cupp, BC, def. Charlie Allsop 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
Brooke Child/Sophie Jessop, Corvallis, def. def. Smith/LeProwse 6-2, 6-2
Kenley Jessop/Olivia Lawson, Corvallis, def. def. Cupp/Peterson 6-3, 6-2
Kylie Debuff/Melissa Reynesso, Corvallis, def. def. Regester/Peterson 6-2, 7-5
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 