Sentinel is a perfect 10-0 against Hellgate since April of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Spartans will take on the Knights at 3:00 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Sentinel has nine straight wins, Hellgate has 14 straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Sentinel is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Montana's top teams: Glacier, who was ranked eighth at the time (Sentinel was ranked fourth). The Spartans won by a run and slipped past the Wolfpack 4-3. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since April 10, 2025, but that streak is no more.
Alyssa Hanninen
| 04/20/26 @ Glacier | 1 |
| 04/11/26 @ Skyview | 0 |
| 04/10/26 @ Billings Senior | 1 |
| 04/04/26 vs Helena | 2 |
| 04/01/26 vs Frenchtown | 1 |
Alyssa Hanninen spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Piper Whitman, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Hayden Slater was another key player, going 1-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Hellgate lost 11-3 to Butte on Monday.
Hellgate saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kaelynn Hopfauf, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI. Nat Blaney also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Sentinel's victory bumped their record up to 9-0. As for Hellgate, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-7.
Hellgate's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Sentinel has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 11.7 hits per game. It's a different story for Hellgate, though, as they've been averaging 9.3 hits. Given Sentinel's sizable advantage in that area, the Knights will need to find a way to close that gap.
Sentinel got the 'W' when the teams last played back in May of 2025 against Hellgate by a conclusive 9-0 score. Will the Spartans repeat their success, or do the Knights have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
