BELGRADE — Thursday was a day of missed opportunities for the Butte High softball team.

The Bulldogs stranded four runners over the final two innings, and Butte High fell 4-3 to Class A power Belgrade in a non-conference game.

“We had our opportunities,” Butte High coach Ryan Stosich said. “We just didn’t capitalize on them.”

The loss came despite a two-run home run by freshman Taylor Huff. It was Huff’s second blast of the young season.

Ty Atwood scored the game-winning run when Kendall Bethke reached on an error. Atwood reached on an infield single and stole second before coming home with the eventual winning run.

Belgrade, which improved to 3-0, got a pair of runs in the second inning. The Panthers took advantage of a pair of errors and an illegal pitched called with the bases loaded. Bethke added an RBI double to make it 3-0 in the bottom of the third.

The Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the fourth with three runs that came after the second out was recorded. That included Huff’s blast.

The Panthers did their damage on just four hits. Jordan Branch and Kalista Pachl added singles. Erin Elgas picked up the win in the pitchers’ circle despite leaving the game briefly after being hit by a comebacker.

Huff, Brittney Tierney and Brianna Ossello each went 2 for 3 to lead the Bulldogs, who pounded seven hits. Tierney, a freshman, hit a double. Kennedi Ferriter and Katelyn Alley each added a single.

Kaidy McClafferty pitched the distance as the Bulldogs fell to 0-2 on the season. None of the runs scored against her were earned.

“She pitched pretty well today,” Stosich said. “We made too many mistakes on the field.”

Butte High is back in action Saturday when they play Helena High and Helena Capital at Stodden Park.

BUTTE HIGH           AB  R  H BI  BELGRADE             AB  R  H BI
Jenna Walker          4  0  0  0  J Taylor              3  0  0  0  
Brianna Ossello       2  0  2  0  E Elgas               2  0  0  0  
Kenndi Ferriter       4  0  1  0   K Hoppe              1  0  0  0  
Isabelle Bonney       4  0  0  0  J Branch              3  1  1  0  
Katelyn Alley         3  1  1  0  T Atwood              2  1  1  0  
Brittaney Tierney     3  1  2  1  K Bethke              3  0  1  2  
Taylor Huff           3  1  2  2  S Neabaur             2  1  0  0  
Jenna Maroney         2  0  0  0  K Pachl               3  1  1  0  
 McKenna Savage       1  0  0  0  S Krone               3  0  0  0  
MacKensie Daily       2  0  0  0  A Cox                 2  0  0  0  
 Madison Joseph       1  0  0  0                                    
TOTALS               29  3  8  3  TOTALS               24  4  4  2
BUTTE HIGH                    000 300 0 -- 3  
BELGRADE                      021 010 x -- 4  
LOB--BUTTE HIGH 6, BELGRADE 5. ERR--MacKensie Daily, Jenna
Walker, Isabelle Bonney. 2B--Katelyn Alley, Brittaney
Tierney, K Bethke. HR--Taylor Huff. HBP--A Cox. SB--J
Branch, A Cox, K Pachl, T Atwood.
 BUTTE HIGH                      IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR
Kaidy McClafferty              6.00    4    4    1    2    6    0
 BELGRADE                   
E Elgas                        3.67    1    0    0    0    2    0
S Neabaur                      3.33    7    3    3    1    4    1
SO--Kenndi Ferriter, Jenna Walker (2), Jenna Maroney,
Isabelle Bonney (2), E Elgas, J Branch, J Taylor (2), S
Neabaur, A Cox. BB--Brianna Ossello, S Neabaur, T Atwood.