By Bruce Sayler
A lot of celebration was happening as Butte High Bulldogs hugged en masse behind their first-base dugout and they grew somewhat quiet circling a trophy standing on the grassy knoll outside that leftside fence.
Jim LeProwse was a happy man, but didn’t quite understand the fence. The team had just won the first state tournament baseball trophy in school history.
“I don’t really know why,” he responded when it was mentioned to him that this finish to this Bulldog season surprised a lot of people. “I knew what this team was capable of. We were pretty young. A lot of young guys started.
“We started five sophomores and a freshman, but they all bought into what we’re doing. This (finish) doesn’t surprise me.”
The 14-4 five-inning win over Glacier High of Kalispell late Saturday night in a slow, much-delayed weather-bothered state tournament at 3 Legends Stadium was impressive and decisive. Rainy weather already experienced and darn-near torrential expected Saturday caused tournament officials to cut the slate to two days of play from three and to do away with the consolation final, the game that determines third place.
Instead, the two teams qualifying for such a showdown each are getting a third-place trophy. C.M. Russell High of Great Falls walloped Billings West 19-6in the other loser-out that would’ve sent the winner to the third-place game. So, the Bulldogs and Rustlers are co-third-placers.
Butte High’s game finished about 9:30 after starting about 6:15 and had been scheduled for a 4 p.m. start. Long, big-scoring games added length to the days and the championship game, matching Missoula Sentinel against Bozeman Gallatin, had just gotten underway around 10 o’clockish. Late.
“It wouldn’t matter,” LeProwse said with a shrug when kiddingly asked which team keeps this particular third-place trophy, Butte High or CMR. “We’re both getting one.”
At that moment, with the Bulldogs almost dancing in the darkness around the prize, it looked like it might not fit on the Rustlers’ bus.
“We played pretty good baseball after that first game (an 18-7 loss to Gallatin),” LeProwse said. “It would’ve been easy for the guys to get down and quit. But, today, we played pretty good baseball.”
The day started with a 9-8 thriller over Missoula Big Sky in loser-out play.
“I think it is really cool we came into here as the fourth seed from our conference,” LeProwse said, “and came out as the second-highest placer from our conference.”
It required readiness, too. The Bulldogs spent two days not ever sure until each first pitch when they would play, who they would play and in what conditions. The other teams endured the same scenario. Butte High’s attitude and moxie grew the proper adjustments to climb the ladder into third place, or share of it.
“There were uncertainties,” LeProwse agreed. “It is tough not knowing what you’re doing next and where. But, it’s an outdoor sport and we’re at the mercy of the weather. It is hard (in the elements of unknowns).”
Pitching was maybe spectacular for the Bulldogs Saturday. Starters Noah Powers and Calvin Cunningham both spun gems and opponents gained only eight hits for the day. Cunningham teamed with relievers Cayde Stajcar and Evan McEwen on a three-hitter in the win over C.M. Russell. Stajcar struggled on the mound, but absolutely nowhere else. He homered against Big Sky and had three runs batted in for the day. His defense at shortstop was highlight-reel material and strengthened his looming draft-pick potential.
“I wanted to give Cayde a shot (at pitching),” LeProwse said of the Central Arizona College-signed Bulldog star. “He really doesn’t like to do it very much.”
McEwen closed out both games for Butte High, earning the win versus Big Sky after delivering the go-ahead runs with a double. He also collected three hits and four RBI for the day, seeing action at second base, third base and designated hitter in addition to late-inning pitching.
“Cayde hit pretty well,” LeProwse said. “His on-base percentage is really good. He is usually an automatic run for us if he gets on base. If he reaches base, he finds a way to score.”
Stajcar’s two-run homer over center field broke a 1-all tie with Big Sky in the third inning of their elimination-round game. His bad-hop single launched a three-run fifth for the Bulldogs. Tegan Duffy followed it with a base hit to right and then Cunningham ripped a double to right and tallied Stajcar. Gunnar Bushman’s infield hit loaded the bases and Troy Samson got hit by a pitch to force home a run before Cunningham was waved home on a balk call against Eagle starter Ethan Paugh.
Big Sky, though, roared back, turning three hit batsmen, a walk and three-run triple by Colter Nicolarsen and a run-scoring error into an 8-6 lead in the sixth inning. Facing elimination, the Bulldogs got back in front with three runs in their half of the sixth. Stajcar was hit by a pitch to start the rally and stole second base. Duffy knocked him in with a single to left. Cunnigham walked and the runners moved up a bag on a sacrifice bunt by Bushman. McEwen then doubled both Duffy and Cunningham home. He retired the Eagles in order on a strikeout and two flyouts in the top of the seventh, pushing them out of the tournament. Bushman made a great catch of a foul popup angling toward the first-base dugout earlier in the game, but the highlight was likely a lunging, rolling snare by Butte-rooted Big Sky center fielder Kieran Cooney, son of former Butte High state champion wrestler Brodie Cooney.
Butte High spotted Glacier a run in the first inning and then dominated the second for eight runs to take control of their matchup. Nine Bulldogs batted before the Wolfpack recorded an out in the inning. Meanwhile, Logan Carden was hit by a pitch with bags full for the first Butte High run, Kodye Kjersten drew a bases-loaded walk for the go-ahead run, Stajcar followed with another run-forcing base on balls and then Duffy whapped a two-run single after Carden raced home on a wild pitch. McEwen belted a single to bat in a run and Bushman, who reached on a fielder’s choice, got home on a wild pitch and the Bulldogs had an 8-1 bulge two innings into the game.
They added two more in the third as Kjersten’s bad-hot single scored Carden, who had singled, and McEwen drew a bases-loaded walk five batters later.
Butte High scored its last four runs in the fourth for a 14-1 lead. Kjersten, Duffy and Cunningham all delivered run-scoring singles and Kjersten sped home on a wild pitch.
The Eagles didn’t go too quietly. They put three runs up in the fifth without a hit and tried to extend the game another inning or two. Two walks and a hit batter packed the sacks, another walk forced in a run, a fielder’s choice scored another and the last run was plated on an error. McEwen finished the Eagles off with a strikeout.
There were eight batters plunked in the contest, six by Butte High pitchers.
The tourney ended after midnight, Sentinel edging Gallatin 6-3 for the championship of Montana’s first state Class AA baseball tournament.
This is the fourth year of state-sanctioned high school baseball in Montana, the first, though, in which Class AA played a state tournament separate of Class A, B or C. Florence, Polson and Billings Central won the previous all-class state tourneys.
With Butte High’s youthful lineup growing into next year’s team, the possibility arises that onlookers will be as unsurprised about a success as LeProwse appeared to be with this year’s co-third-place finish.
“We finished .500 (11-11),” LeProwse said. “That’s what I was hoping for.”
