The Russell Rustlers will challenge the Billings Senior Broncs at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Russell will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak.
While Russell didn't have the best season last year (they finished 5-15), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They put the hurt on Helena with a sharp 9-2 win on Tuesday. The result was nothing new for the Rustlers, who have now won four matchups by seven runs or more so far this season.
Ella Cron spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on three hits and racked up 11 Ks.
At the plate, Signe Hanson was excellent, going 2-for-3 with three runs and one RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Kieva Mapes, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Billings Senior, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-6 victory over Skyview on Monday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Broncs have posted since May 23, 2025.
Billings Senior also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Rayvin Fisher gave up five earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits. Fisher has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Billings Senior got a big performance out of Sloan Shulund, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, one double, and one RBI. That's the most runs Shulund has posted since back in April of 2025. Braella Jennings was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double.
Russell's victory bumped their record up to 7-1. As for Billings Senior, their win bumped their record up to 3-7.
Russell was able to grind out a solid victory over Billings Senior in their previous matchup back in March, winning 8-5. Will the Rustlers repeat their success, or do the Broncs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
