BILLINGS — Butte High split an Eastern AA doubleheader on the road against Billings Senior Friday. The Bulldogs won the opener 7-5 before falling 18-8 in five innings of the nightcap.

Only the first game counted in conference standings. Game 2 was a nonconference tilt.

The Bulldogs improved to 5-2 in conference play. Butte High is 7-8 overall. Senior is 2-5 and 5-10.

Butte High will stay in Billings to take on Skyview on Saturday. Both games of the noon doubleheader count in conference standings.

Butte High 7, Billings Senior 5
Justyce Connole blasted a two-run home run to left field to cap a four-run first inning to give the Bulldogs a lead they never surrendered.

Kaidy McClafferty fanned seven batters as the freshman improved to 6-4 on the season. She walked three, scattered five hits and surrendered three earned runs.

“She just competed,” Butte High coach Ryan Stosich said of his young pitcher. “She’s such a competitor. She did really well today.”

Connole, Kennedi Ferriter, Amanda Spear and Bethany McLean each smacked two hits in Butte High’s 11-hit attack. McLean doubled, while Ashten McCloskey, Ellie Hoffenbacker and Tristan Walks added singles.

Anna Paine doubled to lead the Broncs. Sarah Bonner struck out six batters in the loss.

 BUTTE HIGH           AB  R  H BI  BILLINGS SENIOR      AB  R  H BI
Ashten McCloskey      3  1  1  0  Payton Meyer          3  0  0  1  
Kenndi Ferriter       4  1  2  0  Grace Ostermiller     4  0  0  0  
Maria Michelotti      3  1  0  0  Sarah Bonner          4  0  1  0  
Amanda Spear          3  1  2  2  Brittanee Fisher      3  2  0  0  
Bethany McLean        4  1  2  1  Allysa Treglown       2  1  1  0  
Justyce Connole       4  1  2  2  Anna Paine            3  1  1  1  
Katelyn Alley         3  0  0  0  Courtnie Brown        3  0  1  1  
 Ellie Hoffenbacker   1  0  1  0  Kristen McCarhty      2  1  1  1  
Isabelle Bonney       2  0  0  0  Sydney Norwood        2  0  0  0  
 Madison Joseph       1  0  0  0                                    
Tristan Walks         4  1  1  0                                    
TOTALS               32  7 11  5  TOTALS               26  5  5  4
BUTTE HIGH                    400 102 0 -- 7  
BILLINGS SENIOR               000 311 0 -- 5  
LOB--BUTTE HIGH 8, BILLINGS SENIOR 5. ERR--Maria Michelotti,
Ashten McCloskey, Tristan Walks (2), Anna Paine, Brittanee
Fisher. 2B--Bethany McLean, Anna Paine. HR--Justyce
Connole. HBP--Ashten McCloskey, Brittanee Fisher.
SACF--Amanda Spear. SACB--Isabelle Bonney, Payton Meyer,
Sydney Norwood.
 BUTTE HIGH                      IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR
Kaidy McClafferty (W)          7.00    5    5    3    2    7    0
 BILLINGS SENIOR            
Sarah Bonner (L)               7.00   11    7    7    1    6    1
PB--Maria Michelotti (2), Payton Meyer (4). SO--Ashten
McCloskey, Tristan Walks (3), Katelyn Alley, Madison Joseph,
Courtnie Brown, Anna Paine, Sarah Bonner, Payton Meyer (2),
Allysa Treglown, Brittanee Fisher. BB--Maria Michelotti,
Allysa Treglown, Kristen McCarhty.

Billings Senior 18, Butte High 8 (5 innings)
McLean and Connole each hit home runs to lead the Bulldogs in the second game. It wasn’t enough, however, as the Broncs pounded 16 hits for the 10-run win.

McLean went 3 for 3 with two RBIs. The senior has eight hits in Butte High’s last three games.

“She’s busted out,” Stosich said. “It’s what we’ve been waiting for.”

McCloskey hit two doubles, while Spear and Isabella Bonney added doubles. Ferriter and Walks each hit a single.

Leadoff hitter Payton Meyer went 5 for 5 for the Broncs. Bonner hit two home runs and drove in five runs.

BUTTE HIGH           AB  R  H BI  BILLINGS SENIOR      AB  R  H BI
Ashten McCloskey      3  2  2  0  Payton Meyer          5  2  5  3  
Kenndi Ferriter       3  1  1  2  Grace Ostermiller     4  3  2  0  
Amanda Spear          3  0  1  1  Sarah Bonner          2  3  2  5  
Bethany MLlean        3  2  3  2  Brittanee Fisher      2  1  1  0  
Justyce Connole       3  1  1  2  Anna Paine            3  3  2  0  
Ellie Hoffenbacker    3  0  0  0  Courtnie Brown        4  2  1  1  
Isabelle Bonney       3  1  1  0  Kristen McCarhty      3  2  1  0  
Jenna Walker          3  0  0  0  Allysa Treglown       3  2  1  1  
Tristan Walks         1  1  1  1  Sydney Norwood        4  0  1  1  
 Maria Michelotti     1  0  0  0                                    
 Abby Burke           0  0  0  0                                    
TOTALS               26  8 10  8  TOTALS               30 18 16 11
BUTTE HIGH                    150 02 -- 8  
BILLINGS SENIOR               556 02 -- 18 
LOB--BUTTE HIGH 3, BILLINGS SENIOR 6. ERR--Ashten McCloskey,
Kenndi Ferriter (2), Jenna Walker, Anna Paine. 2B--Ashten
McCloskey (2), Amanda Spear, Isabelle Bonney, Payton Meyer,
Grace Ostermiller. HR--Bethany McClean, Justyce Connole,
Sarah Bonner (2). HBP--Brittanee Fisher. SB--Kristen
McCarhty, Brittanee Fisher.
 BUTTE HIGH                      IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR
Justyce Connole (L)            1.00    7   10    8    2    0    1
Katlyn O'Brien                 3.00    6    6    2    4    0    1
Kenndi Ferriter                0.33    3    2    2    0    0    0
 BILLINGS SENIOR            
Sydney Norwood (W)             5.00   10    8    8    0    4    2
PB--Isabelle Bonney (6), Sarah Bonner (3). WP--Katlyn
O'Brien. BALK--Justyce Connole (2). SO--Ellie Hoffenbacker
(2), Isabelle Bonney, Justyce Connole. BB--Anna Paine, Sarah
Bonner (2), Allysa Treglown, Kristen McCarhty, Brittanee
Fisher.