Helena gets plenty of hits in opening win
BILLINGS - Small-ball wasn’t needed in the second game of the 2022 Montana Alberta AA State tournament, assecond-seeded Helena led, fell behind, then cruised to a 17-7 run-rule win in five innings over No. 7 Lethbridge.
The Elks had a little bit of life when Zach Lyons powered a grand slam over the left-field fence for a 7-5 Lethbridge lead in the top of the third. As he rounded first base, Lyons pounded his chest and looked back to his excited teammates in the first-base dugout.
That enthusiasm didn’t last long, however.
Though Lethbridge starter Jaxon Filipenko got the first two outs in the bottom of the third, Walker Bennett lined a single off the glove of lunging shortstop Brennan McTavish. The Senators sent 11 more batters to the plate, scored 10 runs, and had a 15-7 lead.
Two innings later Helena plated the game-ending runs for the 10-run win.
