BILLINGS — There have been many highlights thus far this season for the Billings Scarlets.
The American Legion baseball team has put together a 31-5 record and engineered a 20-game winning streak.
A team that features two super seniors, 12 seniors, three juniors and one freshman on the 18-player roster, has a special bond and camaraderie built through many years of playing together as teammates or against each other at the youth level.
And coming into the annual Goldsmith Gallery Jewelers Baseball Tournament hosted by Billings American Legion Baseball at Dehler Park and Pirtz Field Thursday through Sunday, the Scarlets were 7-1 and second at the Battle of Omaha tourney in Nebraska.
People are also reading…
A main reason for all of that success has been the Scarlets steady and fearless pitching staff, which had an earned-run average of 1.87 entering the Goldsmith tournament.
The Scarlets have employed six different starting pitchers this year in Paxton Prill, Zach Stewart, Colter Wilson, Drew McDowell, Jakob Wilcox, and Kade Vatnsdal.
Nolan Berkram has served as the closer for the Scarlets.
Billings Scarlets pitchers are pictured Wednesday at Pirtz Field. From left, front row, Zach Stewart, Kade Vatnsdal and Nolan Berkam, back row, Jakob Wilcox, Paxton Prill, Colter Wilson and Drew McDowell. The Scarlets’ pitching staff is a key reason the team had a 31-5 record entering the Goldsmith Gallery Jewelers Baseball Tournament in Billings.
“I think the competitive level of the boys is one of the biggest things,” said Scarlets coach Adam Hust of his pitchers. “They are really talented and the hard work they put in makes them really tough. They are battling every hitter, every pitch.”
“To have a 1.87 ERA as a team, everyone contributes to that number and throws strikes and is being competitive and getting guys out.”
The Scarlets pitchers have confidence on the mound because they are confident in themselves, and also because they believe in the capabilities of their teammates. Entering the Goldsmith tourney, the Scarlets were hitting .314 as a team with a fielding percentage of .967.
“I feel like just putting the ball in the right spot and letting the defense play behind us,” said Wilson, a lefty who will pitch at Regis University (Colorado) next season, of the keys to his success on the mound this year.
McDowell, a right-hander who will play baseball at NCAA Division I South Dakota State, said playing for a team like the Scarlets brings out the best in himself and his teammates.
“It is honestly electrifying,” McDowell said. “Knowing each guy will go out there and shove for that day and go out there and do their best. It is super exciting to watch. You get a lot of energy from the dugout and all that.”
“It is a special group. There are a lot of seniors and all of us have been playing with or against each other for so long. It’s special to all play as one.”
Wilson said that history has been a driving factor in the Scarlets’ success.
“Just our bond together is so tight,” he explained. “The comfortability we have with each other helps us play well together.”
Stewart, a left-hander, will be joining the University of Jamestown (North Dakota) baseball team next season. As Hust stated about his pitchers, Stewart said he isn’t afraid to battle while on the mound.
“It’s just the mentality of attack, attack, attack every pitch and get after it,” said Stewart.
Stewart said playing with this year’s Scarlets has been a special experience.
“It’s extremely fun and just to be able to spend the last summer with my best friends,” he said. “We’re winning games, you can’t ask for much more.”
Scarlets pitchers threw two straight no-hitters in Omaha as Prill and Jaxon Meyer combined to no-hit the West Fargo Vets 5-0 to open the tourney.
The next day, McDowell fired a five-inning no hitter in a 10-1 victory over the Omaha Electric Seniors (Burke).
“It felt pretty good,” said McDowell of his no-hitter. “The only thing I wish I could have done better is I had a wild pitch and they scored a run.
“But a no-hitter is a no-hitter, so it is still pretty exciting.”
McDowell walked five and struck out nine in the contest. McDowell said the Scarlets defense took care of him after the free passes.
“I had a lot of walks that game — walks kill and are never good to have,” he said. “When I was struggling, I could rely on the defense to pick me up.”
Hust, who has been the head coach of the Scarlets since 2007, said that was the first time in all of his years that the club has had two no-nos in the same tournament. Achieving a no-hitter isn’t easy and there have been seasons where Scarlets pitchers didn’t record one.
“It was pretty interesting to see,” Hust said. “They went out there and filled up the zone and were competitive. … It was fun to watch.”
This year’s State AA tourney is July 31-Aug. 4 in Helena. The regional tournament will be hosted by Billings American Legion Baseball this year at Dehler Park Aug. 7-11. The Scarlets are the host team for regionals.
The Scarlets would like to compete for a state and regional title and know pitching will continue to be key in that quest. Last year the Scarlets were the State AA runners-up. In 2022, the Class A Billings Cardinals, a feeder team for the Scarlets, finished second at state.
“Obviously the state championship is No. 1, quite a few of us have had the bitter taste of losing state titles in back-to-back state tournaments,” said Stewart.
“Ultimately our goal is to win the state tournament,” said McDowell. “But knowing we have the guaranteed spot at regionals, we’re just going to compete at every step we get.”
Email Gazette Sports Editor John Letasky at john.letasky@406mtsports.com or follow him on X/Twitter at @GazSportsJohnL
