The Billings West Golden Bears will take on the Belgrade Panthers at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Billings West barely beat Russell the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Golden Bears were the clear victors by a 12-4 margin over the Rustlers on Saturday. The Golden Bears might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six games by eight runs or more this season.
Tatum Bush spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on eight hits and racked up 15 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Ryane Viker was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. Mielle Kavran was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
Meanwhile, Belgrade faced Gallatin in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Saturday. The Panthers came out on top against the Raptors by a score of 10-7. Winning may never get old, but the Panthers sure are getting used to it with their fourth in a row.
Belgrade also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Olivia Mills gave up seven earned runs on seven hits and racked up 11 Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Bailee White, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Ava Lund, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double.
Belgrade pushed their record up to 11-4-1 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for Billings West, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-5 record this season.
Billings West couldn't quite get it done against Belgrade in their previous matchup back in April as they fell 3-0. Will the Golden Bears have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
