By Bruce Sayler
Butte Central ended its softball season with fireworks.
The show wasn’t of the literal kind, but the Maroons did put 17 runs on scoreboard in not quite four complete innings to defeat Browning 17-2 in a nonconference game Saturday. It was the last game of BC’s LaVerne Combo Softball Invitational tournament at Stodden Park. It’s an annual event for Butte Central and this year’s drew 25 teams before a couple backed out at the last minute.
The Maroons played four games in the tournament, going 2-2 while packing seven freshmen into the starting lineup and minus two of its top players. The BC team went 5-13 this season, including a 2-8 Southwestern A Conference mark. It didn’t contain enough wins to advance Butte Central to the postseason playoffs, but … wait until next year.
Sophomore third baseman Marly Mansanti and freshman first baseman Kodee Badovinac missed the end of the season with a broken leg and knee injury, respectively. So, some more young Maroons stepped up and provided promising punctuation Saturday as their season came to a half.
“I think we grew as a team,” head coach Chunky Thatcher said as he thanked, hugged and encouraged players to work toward next year while they bid ‘bye for the spring to their mentor. “We got better. They’re young kids and I’m proud of them.
“I told them just a few minutes ago (in the postgame team meeting), softball doesn’t start in March. They need to work in the offseason, but kids need a break, too. They’re kids.”
The Maroons jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after No. 2 pitcher Arika Stajcar retired the Indians in four batters, an infield error being the only hiccup.
Stajcar’s two-run double to left-center was the big blow of the BC inning after Natalie Osterman and Cambri Campbell scored on a Kenzie McQueary double and a bases-loaded walk to Sophia Gelling. Zayonna Otherbull got to base by being hit by a pitch and got home on Stajcar’s stinger. Brylee Armstrong’s double gave Butte Central three two-baggers for the inning.
Browning got its only two runs in the second. Chaelee Heavy Runner’s double brought in Kenna Benzee, who had reached on a fielder’s choice. Heavy Runner took third on the throw home, then ran home on a wild pitch.
It was all-Butte Central the rest of the way.
The Maroons put up five runs in the second with the first one scoring on a double steal fronted by Campbell. Two errors and wild pitches scored the other runs as Campbell’s leadoff single was the only hit in the scoring flurry.
The bottom of the third saw McQueary and Otherbull start it with singles. McQueary was out at third on a fielder’s choice, but Otherbull scored soon after on a wild pitch after a similar one propelled her to third base.
So, it was 12-2 after four innings and BC needed five more to end the game on the 15-run difference-after-four rule. Stajcar struck the Indians out in order in the top of the fourth.
Walks to Osterman and Evyn Smith and McQueary reaching on an error loaded the bases for Butte Central’s half of the frame. Olivia Scott singled in Osterman and then Gelling drew a walk with the bags full, forcing Smith in with a run. Stajcar’s infield hit scored McQueary and kept the sacks packed. Walks issued to Sawyer Svejkovsky and Chloe Wright forced in Scott and Gelling and caused the finish of the game, and the Maroons’ season.
However, it ended on a high note. All five of the wins came in the last three weeks.
“I’m excited for next year,” Thatcher said. “We gotta grow. I have some eighth-graders coming in next year and they will be competing (to play). We’ll have some kids competing against each other for playing time, which we haven’t had here in a couple of years.”
This year’s BC program had no seniors.
Stajcar, usually the catcher, finished with a one-hitter and struck out seven batters in four innings. She also drove in three runs with two hits. McQueary also had two hits and Campbell, Otherbull, Scott and Brylee Armstrong each had one. Thatcher cleared the bench with all Maroons suited up getting to play.
Browning 020 0xx x — 2 1 5
Butte Central 651 5xx x – 17 8 1
Camee Rides At The Door, Averi Calf Robe (4) and Gracie Running Fisher, Camee Rides At The Door (4). Arika Stajcar and Natalie Osterman. W – Stajcar. L – Rides At The Door.
BROWNING (0-18, 0-10) – Maya Andreas (3B) 0-1, Gracie Running Fisher (C-SS) 0-2, Camee Rides At TheDoor (P-C) 0-2, Joss Salois (RF) 0-2, Alison Skunkcap (2B) 0-2, Averi Calf Robe (SS-P) 0-1, Kenna Benzee (LF) 0-2, Chaelee Heavy Runner (CF) 1-2, Paulina Fitzgerald (1B) 0-0.
BUTTE CENTRAL (5-13, 2-8) – Natalie Osterman (C ) 0-2, Cambree Campbell (2B) 1-1, Evyn Smith (2B) 0-0, Kenzie McQueary (SS) 2-4, Zayonna Otherbull (CF) 1-1, Olivia Scott (CF) 1-1, Sophia Gelling (1B) 0-1, Braelynn Schelin (PH) 0-1, Arika Stajcar (P) 2-2, Sawyer Svejkovsky (3B) 0-2, Chloe Wright (RF) 0-2, Brylee Armstrong (LF) 1-3.
Extra-base hits – 2B – Heavy Runner, McQueary, Stajcar, Armstrong.
Runs batted in – Browning 1 (Heavy Runner), Butte Central 8 (Stajcar 3, Svejkovsky 2, Scott 1, Gelling 1, Wright 1).