HELENA — At 17-10, Tuesday’s final score between Helena Capital and Helena High looked akin to a football score as opposed to a softball score, but “we’ll take them how we can get them,” Capital head coach Mike Miller said.
Just more than a day removed from a doubleheader with Missoula Sentinel and Missoula Big Sky, the Bengals’ Vanessa Walsh jumped on a 1-2 pitch for a three-run home run. Some savvy base running and a sacrifice bunt by Brooke Ark brought Casey Holland around to score to put Helena High up 4-0 before the Bruins got their second chance to bat.
From there, the Bruins reached for the crosstown crown and ran with it.
In the third and fourth innings, Capital plated 11 runs — four on a Sara Bury grand slam and three on a Jenna Priddy home run — to put the game out of reach.
“Mariah (English) is a very good pitcher, and she was keeping things under control, but then we finally started getting on it and hitting the ball a little bit better,” Miller said. “I preach all the time that I don’t like the roller coaster stuff, but we’ll take them how we can get them.”
The Bruins tacked on six more runs in the latter innings en route to the 17-10 finish.
Helena High will head to Missoula on May 9 to take on the Hellgate Knights in a Thursday doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
Helena Capital’s next opponent will come on May 11 when the Bruins take on the Billings Senior Broncs and the Skyview Falcons at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
