CMR softball advances to state tournament as Ella Cron strikes out 15
The Rustlers down Billings Skyview to earn berth in state tourney in Missoula on May 28-30.
The C. M. Russell High softball team is off to the state tournament.
The Rustlers (14-7) earned the state berth behind a strong pitching performance from starting pitcher Ella Cron and timely hits as they took down Billings Skyview 4-2 on Thursday, May 21, at the Multi-Sports Complex in a play-in contest. As the higher seed in the Nos. 4-5 Eastern AA playoff matchup, CMR needed just the one win over the Falcons to reach next week’s tournament on May 28-30 in Missoula – avoiding the “if-necessary” game as Cron struck out 15 Skyview batters.
More: Vote for Prep Athlete of the Week, May 19-22 More: Montana Eastern AA division girls track and field leaders “One goal is accomplished,” CMR head coach Alex Hurley said. “We’ve got many more to accomplish here, but we made it through the first one, to just get through this game, compete every inning and finish with a win. So, to do that is a great feeling.
I’m proud of our girls for doing what they needed to do throughout the game to get that ‘W. ’” The playoff contrasted with the two regular-season games between the clubs, in which the teams combined for 52 runs in two CMR one-run victories. Taylor Gallardo briefly handed the Falcons the lead at 1-0 on an RBI ground out in the opening frame before Ruby Dean tied things up for CMR on a single in the bottom of the first.