Softball Game Preview: Sentinel Spartans vs. Butte Bulldogs

Sentinel has gone 9-1 against Butte recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Saturday. The Spartans will square off against the Bulldogs at 12:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.

Having struggled with four losses in a row, Sentinel turned things around against Frenchtown on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 15-5 margin over the Broncs.

Alyssa Hanninen

Batters Struck Out (Career)

04/02/25 @ Frenchtown	10
03/28/25 @ Helena	9
03/27/25 vs Capital	9
03/21/25 vs Skyview	7
05/18/24 @ Hellgate	7

Alyssa Hanninen made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over four innings while giving up three earned runs off only two hits. Those ten strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 3-for-5. She is also on a roll when it comes to doubles, as she's now hit two or more in each of the last three games she's played.

In other batting news, Kai Gillis was incredible, scoring two runs while going 3-for-3. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2024. Haley Sellers also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Butte). They put the hurt on Hellgate with a sharp 20-9 win on Thursday.

Butte got a massive performance out of Kendallyn Schad, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Reese Johnson was another key player, scoring four runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.

Butte kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 18 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Hellgate only managed nine hits.

Butte's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-4. As for Sentinel, their record is now 2-4.

Sentinel came up short against Butte when the teams last played back in May of 2024, falling 7-2. Can the Spartans avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.