Softball Wraps Up Conference

On April 18, Scottie softball had not played a single game in conference. Eight days later, they had swept their seven counterparts in the Eastern B Division and earned the top seed in the divisional tournament.

They started with a four-game sweep of Colstrip, Stillwater, Huntley Project and Shepherd on April 19 and 20, and then tore through Cut Bank, Shelby and Conrad at the Conrad Invitational for the final three conference games of the season. For good measure, the Scottie girls then dispatched Cut Bank in a non-conference contest with a near perfect game from Shyla Bergtoll.

“Shyla was throwing hard, as hard as I have ever seen her throw,” said Head Coach Mark Falcon.

Bergtoll cruised through the first four innings of the game, striking out three and only allowing the ball to even leave the infield twice. Backed by a five-run second and a seven-run fourth, the Scottie girls were up 14 and Bergtoll only needed to get through one more inning for the mercy-shortened perfect game. An error let the first batter of the inning reach but Bergtoll quickly got a double play and forced a tap back to the mound to end the game with a no-hitter and the 14-0 win.

The no-hitter was the first complete game no-hitter of Bergtoll’s career. She combined with Sadie Sukut earlier this season for another and Abby Mehling last season for yet another.

Cut Bank’s bats were much more dangerous the previous day in the two teams’ conference matchup on Friday night. Glasgow landed the first big blows on offense with four runs in the first and then hit around twice in the second for 15 runs to hold a 19-0 lead. But the Lady Wolves responded with two runs in the bottom of the second and 11 more in the third to cut the lead to 19-13. Both offenses cooled after that, with only Glasgow scoring a single run in the fifth for the 20-13 victory.

However, the previous game for Glasgow was their most contested conference matchup of the season.

Shelby jumped out early with a run in the first and the Scottie girls’ bats were silent for the first three innings. However, Bergtoll was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth and Abby Dalbey followed with a single right back up the middle. Both came around to score to give the Scottie girls a 2-1 lead. The Lady Coyotes came back to tie it in the sixth on a pair of errors by the Scottie girls. In the bottom of the seventh, Bergtoll again got the offense rolling, singling to left with one out in the inning and then stole second in the next at bat. After Dalbey drew a walk, Megan Rasmusan smacked a single to centerfield, scoring Bergtoll for the walk-off 3-2 win.

In the opening game on Saturday, the Scottie girls easily dispatched the Conrad Cowgirls 12-5. A pair of five-run innings, in the third and fourth, provided the driving force for the win and the sweep of conference opponents on the season.

In the four games, the Scottie girls outscored their opponents 49-20.

Bergtoll earned the win in all four games, throwing 24.2 innings, striking out 28 and only allowing three earned runs.

Bergtoll turned in another stellar performance in the first game of a double header against Glendive on Monday. The two games were originally scheduled for Glasgow but were moved to Glendive.

Bergtoll held the Red Devils to one run and five hits in five innings to earn the win, her ninth on the season, while the offense did what it does best.

The Scottie girls scored three in the first, two in the second, three in the third, one in the fourth and three more in the fifth for the 12-1 mercy-rule shortened contest.

Mariah Stein was at the front of the attack, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs. Sage Sukut, Alex Page and Abby Dalbey all had doubles and Ellen Walstad had a triple on her way to a 2-for-2 night with an RBI and two runs.

In the night cap, Abby Mehling got the start for the Scottie girls, going five innings, allowing four earned and striking out three. Mehling earned the win as the Scottie offense scored 19 more runs in support.

Again Stein had two hits, this time going 2-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs. Sadie Sukut was also 2-for-5, with two triples, and had four RBIs and two runs. Megan Rasmusan had the best game at the plate, though, compiling four hits in five at bats and driving in four, scoring twice.

Bergtoll came on to finish the last two innings of the game.

“I think that’s our best asset right now, our offense,” said Falcon. “We really hit the ball. I’m just really happy with how the kids are playing.”

After the games in Glendive, the Scottie girls were then supposed to head to Sidney on Tuesday, but those games were cancelled due to weather. They have been rescheduled for May 7 at home. It will also be senior night for the Scottie girls as the two games will serve as the only home games of the season.

Before that, on May 4, the Scottie girls will head to Havre for an Invitational.