A big win capped a big day for Butte High’s softball seniors Thursday.
The Bulldogs celebrated Senior Day with a 4-2 victory over Western AA leader Missoula Sentinel in a conference game at Stodden Park.
Reese Johnson socked a two-run double and Kendallyn Schad and Gracie Jonart also drove in runs as Butte High spilled the Spartans.
“It was a great team win,” Ryan Stosich, head coach of the Bulldogs, said. “We made no errors and Sentinel was 16-1 (going into the contest).”
The team rode momentum gained from pre-game recognition of the four Butte High seniors in their families and from almost upsetting the Spartans last week in Missoula. The road game saw then undefeated Sentinel pull out a slim 9-8 win.
Jonart, the right fielder, was one of the four seniors honored Thursday along with catcher Mattie Stepan, left fielder Ally Godbout and Lauren Warren, who often comes off the bench.
Jonart, Stepan and Godbout have all had starting experience most the last three years. Stepan had been the right fielder before moving to catcher this season.
Butte High had a 4-0 lead with two runs in each the third and fourth innings behind the pitching of Brea Henderson, an offense that produced ample runs and the defense that made the plays without errors.
Henderson pitched the complete game and did well under pressure, giving up seven hits and two walks but also striking out six batters. Sentinel didn’t get on the scoreboard until the seventh inning when Payton Taylor stroked a two-run single that plated both Bailey Bridger and McKenna Strab, who had hit singles.
Johnson’s double was the only extra-base hit of the game. Stepan and Allie Becker each knocked two singles and Schad, Jonart, Johnson and Henderson each rapped one in the nine-hit Butte High attack.
The loss made Sentinel’s record 16-2, including a 9-2 conference record. The Bulldogs improved to 6-7 overall and 5-5 in league games. They will go to Missoula on Saturday for a Western AA clash with Hellgate on the University of Montana Grizzly Softball Stadium diamond.
Sentinel 000 000 2 – 2 7 1
Butte High 002 200 x – 4 9 0
Piper Whitman and Hailey Papp. Brea Henderson and Mattie Stepan. W – Henderson. L – Whitman.
MISSOULA SENTINEL (16-2, 9-2) – Hayden Slater (2B) 0-4, Piper Whitman (P) 1-2, Alyssa Hanninen (LF) 0-3, Bailey Bridger (1B) 1-3, Hailey Papp (C ) 1-2, McKenna Strab (PH) 1-1, Isabel Schwartz (3B) 0-2, Gigi Nimlos (PH) 1-1, Payton Taylor (RF) 1-3, Ella Wingo (SS) 1-3, Layla Brushia (CF) 0-2, Milla Smith (PH) 0-0.
BUTTE HIGH (6-7, 5-5) – Mattie Stepan (C ) 2-4, Savannah Stosich (CR) 0-0, Brittyn Klima (DP) 0-4, Avery Barsness (Flex/CF) 0-0, Kendallyn Schad (1B) 1-4, Gracie Jonart (RF) 1-4, Reese Johnson (2B) 2-3, Allie Becker (SS) 2-3, Ally Godbout (LF) 0-3, Brea Henderson (P) 1-3, Taylor Regan (CF) 0-0, Cliry Conway (3B) 0-3.
Extra-base hit – 2B – Johnson.
Runs batted in – Sentinel 2 (Taylor 2), Butte High 4 (Johnson 2, Schad 1, Jonart 1).
