Helena has gone 8-2 against Big Sky recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Saturday. The Bengals will welcome the Eagles at 11:00 a.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Helena 4, Big Sky 3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Helena is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Montana's top teams: Butte, who was ranked 11th at the time (Helena was ranked sixth). The Bengals skirted past the Bulldogs 7-6. The Bengals haven't had any issues with the Bulldogs recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive win against them.
Faith Howard
| 04/10/25 @ Butte | 7 |
| 04/08/25 vs Gallatin | 6 |
| 04/04/25 @ Glacier | 8 |
| 04/04/25 @ Flathead | 14 |
| 03/28/25 vs Sentinel | 14 |
| 03/27/25 @ Hellgate | 15 |
Faith Howard spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and one unearned) runs on 13 hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Heidi Ricketts was excellent, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3. Those runs marked the first that she scored this season.
Meanwhile, Big Sky got the win against Capital on Tuesday by a conclusive 16-3. The Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five matches by seven runs or more this season.
Sadie McGuinn and Kyler Latrielle did most of the damage at the plate: McGuinn scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Latrielle scored two runs and stole three bases while going 4-for-4. That's the most hits McGuinn has posted since back in May of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Irene Griswold, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Big Sky kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Capital only managed nine hits.
Helena's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Big Sky, their victory bumped their record up to 5-1.
Saturday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Helena hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .320. However, it's not like Big Sky struggles in that department as they've averaged .473. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Helena skirted past Big Sky 9-8 in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Do the Bengals have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Eagles turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
