MISSOULA — The Florence Falcons emerged as the second-ever Montana high school baseball champion on Saturday, defeating Bitterroot Valley rival Hamilton 4-2 to claim the title.
Securing the championship was a significant achievement for the Class B school, who had to overcome Class AA and A opponents to reach the top.
PHOTOS: FLORENCE WINS STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
“Finally came out for baseball. I mean, hopefully, more kids come out we only had 17 kids all year,” expressed Florence senior Jake Roth. “(Class) B school. Don’t underestimate the B schools, we beat two AA teams this year, eliminated one. So that’s fun.”
The Falcons’ journey in the tournament was a test of resilience and skill.
They fended off a comeback by Eureka in the quarterfinals and were propelled by Mason Arlington’s exceptional performance, throwing a 14-strikeout, no-hitter against Belgrade to reach the championship game.
“The Eureka game kind of gave us an idea of where we were at… and then, I mean, Mason, you play Belgrade and you know what they’re gonna do… probably the best pitching performance I’ve ever seen in that game,” stated Florence manager John Hinsdale.
The showdown with Hamilton, the sole team to defeat Florence in the season, was intense as both teams aimed for victory.
“We knew once they got excited they would roll. So we knew we had to just shut down all the excitement and keep rolling with ours,” mentioned Florence sophomore Chase Wagner.
Roth’s stellar performance on the mound, along with teamwork and determination, led the Falcons to secure the win and the state championship with a record of 18-1.
“We just kept the culture alive… It’s really cool that we get to experience state championships as a B school,” Wagner added.
“The ability for them to get it out of their system, move on to the next one and just keep going with one goal, and that’s to get the W at the end of the day,” reflected Hinsdale on the team’s resilience.
