20 hours ago 2

CMR softball state runner-up to Billings West, earn first trophy in 9 years

MISSOULA – The C.M. Russell High softball team has earned another team trophy.

The Rustlers finished runner-up at the Class AA state tournament on Saturday, May 30, at the University of Montana Softball Field, falling 10-0 to champion Billings West in five innings.

CMR of head coach Alex Hurley rebounded from Friday’s undefeated semifinal loss to West with a 7-5 victory over Kalispell Glacier on Saturday morning to reach the title round.

The Rustlers last picked up hardware in 2017 when they won their second straight state championship.

More: Great Falls High's Scarlet Harris wins 100 hurdles title at AA state track

More: CMR boys tennis 3-peats, Pike wins girls’ title

Alise Steinmetz clocked a grand slam for the Golden Bears in the championship and Tatum Bush slung a no-hitter as West won its first title in 12 years, according to 406 MT Sports.

Kaylei Schultz knocked in a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth in the third-place round against Glacier, followed by an RBI double from Ruby Dean.

Emma McGraw finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a triple for CMR against the Wolfpack, while Rilee Mares also drove in a run. Senior Myli Adams allowed three earned runs in a complete game in the win over Glacier, striking out four batters along with no walks, 406 Sports reported.

C.M. Russell High's Myli Adams delivers a pitch against Great Falls High at the Multi-Sports Complex in May of 2026.

CMR reached Friday’s undefeated semifinal following triumphs over Glacier and Belgrade at Fort Missoula Regional Park, dropping a tight 2-0 decision to Billings West to fall to the third-place round.

The Rustlers downed the Western AA’s No. 1 seed Glacier 5-2 in their opener on Thursday as Mares and Adams each homered and drove in two runs apiece.

Ella Cron slung a complete game in the circle and struck out six with one earned run.

CMR topped Belgrade 11-8 to advance to the undefeated semifinal late Friday against West, which was delayed over three hours due to weather.

McGraw pitched a fine game despite the loss, surrendering just the two runs in a complete game.

West’s Bush, the top pitcher in Class AA in ERA and strikeouts, fired the shutout Friday to move the Golden Bears along to the championship round. The junior helped her own cause with a solo homer in the sixth in the 2-0 West victory.

Games on Thursday and Friday at Fort Missoula Regional Park faced multiple delays due to lightning strikes, as Thursday’s late games were pushed to early Friday and Friday’s 2 p.m. contests were held off mid-game for several hours ahead of the undefeated semifinal, which commenced after 8 p.m.

The Rustlers, who entered the tourney as the No. 4 seed out of the Eastern Conference, finish the season with a record of 18-9.

File photo provided courtesy of Matt Ehnes of Jared's Detours.

This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: CMR softball state runner-up to Billings West, earn first trophy in 9 years

Read Entire Article