HELENA — Weather and the Keith Sell Tournament have unfortunately intertwined the last couple years, but Thursday’s soggy conditions delayed Game 1 all of five minutes before a beautiful afternoon took over.
The 29th annual tournament at Kindrick Legion Field honoring contributions of Helena’s longtime coach and general manager, it’s the first with an upgraded infield and pitching mound and synthetic turf installed down the foul lines.
Laurel’s Pierce Caton (#15) swipes a bag as Butte shortstop Tocher Lee (#9) attempts to tag him during Keith Sell Tournament pool play on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at Kindrick Legion Field in Helena.
Laurel Dodgers 4, Butte Miners 3
Red clay marking his Dodger blue jersey, shortstop Pierce Caton soaked in Laurel’s seventh-straight victory as his pitcher, Reece Dolechek, pumped his fist, the game-tying run stranded at second.
A game over .500 following an 0-6 start, the Dodgers haven’t lost since June 14 in Miles City.
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“We decided we don’t wanna do that anymore,” Caton said.
“We’re gonna play the baseball we’re meant to play.”
Laurel advanced to 1-0 in Keith Sell Tournament pool play and faces Lethbridge on Friday at 11:45 a.m.
Caton extended a six-game hit streak Thursday, reaching base twice, and scoring Laurel’s go-ahead run in the fifth. He swiped two bases, including on a play that knotted the contest at 3-3, and caught a seventh-inning pop-up that helped Dolechek wiggle free of one final jam.
A member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe and Red Lodge High sophomore, Caton was recently recognized as one the country’s top-50 high school indigenous baseball players.
His mother, Caton said, grew up on the reservation and struggled to make the best of a tough life.
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