LIVINGSTON — The Butte Miners saw their season end one win shy of the Class A State tournament.
The Gallatin Valley Outlaws knocked off the Miners 10-1 in a loser-out game of the Southern A District tournament today at Livingston Legion Field. (Boxscore)
The win sends GVO to the first championship game against top-seeded Belgrade. GVO and Belgrade will represent the district at the State tournament next week in Havre.
The day opened the right way for the Miners, who jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Evan Starr doubled in Egan Lester for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. That, however, was the end of the good news for Butte.
GVO took the lead for good with a five-run third inning. The Outlaws added two in the fourth and three in the sixth.
Mayson Shively pitched the distance, striking out 12 for the victory. He gave up just five hits, and the run he surrendered was unearned.
Cyrus Richardson hit a double and a single while driving in two runs. Brandon Beedle added a double for the Outlaws, and Trevor Doud hit two singles.
Kian O’Neill hit two singles, and Eric Hart added a double for the Miners. Coyt Stajcar also singled in his final American Legion game.
The game was also the Legion finale for Reece Cox, who played his super-senior season along with Stajcar in 2021. Rylan Richards, Aidan Lee, O’Neill, Starr and Lester are seniors for the Miners, who close the season at 29-23 overall.
