Three double-digit wins in Round 2

One team chasing the perfect conclusion to its coaches’ 30-year career (Helena Capital), another aiming to repeat as champion and make school history (Kalispell Glacier).

Yeah, Saturday’s Class AA state softball undefeated semifinals should be a blast.

Both games, West-Senior and Glacier-Capital, are scheduled for 9 a.m. at Northwest Park and Mike Miller Fields.

A “home run chain” (Wolfpack emblem) was added to Glacier’s home plate celebration get-up.

Cazz Rankosky, after blasting a run-rule securing three-run shot, jogged the third-base line swaying her arms like an airplane on final approach.

“I watched the first pitch and the next one was right down the middle, so I took it away,” Rankosky said.

Glacier’s fourth long ball in a seven-run fifth inning (Ella Farrell solo, Paishance Haller two-run, Zoey Allen solo), all experienced the oversized blue “home run hat” and a mob of teammates.

Four distinct attention-grabbing cracks of the bat, Glacier’s initial state title defense no doubt perked the ears of opposing players and coaches.

“I think they find it within,” Wolfpack head coach Abby Snipes said of her team’s drive to repeat.

“They’re very intrinsically motivated, they care a lot about their teammates and they’re hungry to have that shot at making school history, but also to play their best softball.”

Some 200 feet from where Kathryn Emmert (Capital) spun her gem, Farrell was superb, striking out 10.

A 4-2 contest in the fourth, Montana’s reigning Gatorade Player of the Year wiggled out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam.

Glacier tacked on in the fourth and pushed the flood gates open an inning later.

“Her rise was really working, as well as her change-up,” Rankosky, Glacier’s catcher, said. “She does really well all the time, even when she gets down…

“With the bases loaded, that was a great inning for her.”

Senior Kenadie Goudette homered and collected three hits.

Olivia Warriner doubled and drove in two runs.

Six different Wolfpack players enjoyed multi-hit games.

“It’s great energy to roll into the next game with,” Rankosky said. “Good atmosphere and good teamwork.”

Sure, it wasn’t the bright lights of ESPN+ and the San Bernardino sun, but freshman Rayvin Fisher shined Friday in her first taste of state tournament softball.

A member of Billings’ Little League team that came within a victory of the World Series two years ago, Fisher kept the state’s best offensive off-balance through four innings, allowing just two hits and three runs (two earned).

“I think it did help a lot,” said of her Little League experience.

“Helped with the nervousness and [being able] to settle down.”

Fisher made both starts in the circle Friday, striking out five Bravettes in a 9-8 walk-off victory over Kalispell Flathead.

“I’m just so proud of her,” junior outfielder Lilah Chapel said. “She pitched amazing, especially against good-hitting teams. She held her own and had a good attitude…

“She has the talent to pitch against all these teams.”

Chapel homered in the third, then robbed a hit with a diving catch in right an inning later.

Freshman Ivy Runsabove, the Game 1 hero, collected three hits. As did Viennah Meyer.

Madi Ban doubled twice and drove in three runs.

An inning away from the loser’s bracket early Friday afternoon, Senior was one of two three-seeds advancing to Saturday’s undefeated semifinals.

Winners of 10 of their 12, a victory Saturday would secure the Broncs’ fourth state title game appearance in the last five seasons (no season 2020, COVID).

“I think we have the talent, and the motivation, and the energy,” Chapel said. “Basically everything to win it.”

An undefeated semifinal matchup a season ago, Helena High was missing an ingredient paramount to that historic victory.

Faith Howard, the Bengals All-State junior pitcher, was injured by a comebacker Friday morning in a 12-5 first-round victory over CMR.

Rylee Schlepp won in relief, but surrendered a three-run sixth-inning triple to West’s Lileigh Nieto that proved the difference hours later.

Freshman Tatum Bush punched out 12 Bengals through six innings, but was pulled after six of the first eight batters reached in the seventh.

Kylee Gardipee chased with a two-run home run, and after Helena High put the tying run on first, West’s Kylie King thwarted the rally with a 15th strikeout.

Crosstown rival Senior awaits in the undefeated semifinals, a rematch of the 2022 Class AA championship game the Broncs won 4-2.

West went 2-0 against Senior during the regular-season and carries a 9-game win streak into Saturday.

This article will be updated