BUTTE — The Battlin' Bears kicked off the Frontier Conference season with a pair of sweeps at the Montana Tech Invite.
In the men's tournament, Rocky Mountain College golfers Mitchell Thiessen, Tristan Hanson, Cash Golden and Haydn Driver finished in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th places to give the Battlin' Bears the team title with a three-round total of 853. Montana Tech took second (870), Carroll College was third (901) followed by Dickinson State (911), Providence (923) and MSU-Northern (1028).
Sean Ramsbacher, a Missoula Sentinel product and the reigning Frontier Conference Tournament champion, edged out Thiessen by one stroke for the individual title. Ramsbacher, a fifth-year senior, carded a three-round total of 207 to seal the win after heading into Tuesday's final round with a one-stroke lead over Thiessen.
In the women's tournament, Battlin' Bears Claire Wright, Hailey Derrickson and Valentina Zuelta took the top 3 spots as Rocky rolled to a team win with a two-round total of 617. Carroll College finished in second (661), Montana Tech took third (665) and Dickinson State was fourth at 712.
Wright held off Derrickson by carding a 75-74-149 while Derrickson finished two rounds at 79-71-150.
The Frontier golf season continues on Sunday at the Argo Invite in Great Falls.
