With just a week left in the first high school baseball regular season in Montana, the Bulldogs awaited a much-anticipated rematch against Belgrade this time on their home field and it did not disappoint.
Heading into the bottom of the 3rd inning the Panthers held a 5-1 advantage, but Butte would use great base running, passed balls, and overthrows to rally for 4 runs off a few hits as well in the bottom of the 3rd to tie it at 5 apiece.
Belgrade would come right back with some more of the same, stringing some hits together and using bad throws to their advantage to wrap off 3 more runs and take an 8-5 lead. Neither team would score in the 5th.
A couple of pitching adjustments were made and if there is one thing about a Jim Leprowse coached team, you know they aren’t going down without a fight. The Panthers rallied for 4 more runs in the top of the 6th inning, but the Bulldogs made a ferocious comeback attempt and scored 5 in the bottom of the 6th.
Neither team scored in the 7th and the Panthers would edge out the scrappy Bulldogs 12-10 in a conference clash that did not disappoint, a matchup we could see again come state.
Zach Tierney went 3-3 with a base on balls, 2 RBI’s and a Run, Cayde Stajcar was 1-4 with a 3 run double and 2 runs scored, Kevin Donaldson went 1-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Trey Hansen had a hit and an RBI for the Bulldogs.
