Undefeated Senators, Laurel Dodgers meet in KST Championship

He’s probably listening to rap music and is probably concentrating on the work ahead of him.

On Saturday, that goal propelled Helena into the championship game of the Keith Sell Tournament where a fourth straight title defense could begin and the Laurel Dodgers awaited.

First pitch is scheduled for Sunday at 5:15 p.m. at Kindrick Legion Field.

Peterson allowed three walks but struck out eight batters (four of them looking) in 6.1 innings as the Senators beat Mount Vernon 8-2.

In 44 innings pitched as a freshman Senator, Peterson owns a 1.90 ERA (second best on the team, 20 innings minimum) and a sub-.200 batting average against.

“I think a lot of my focus before the game works,” Peterson said. “I listen to my music, I try to get away from people. Focus on the task at hand.

While he still plays basketball (Helena High), Peterson has focused a little more on the court this season, prioritizing offseason workouts and strength training programs.

“It suits me best, I guess,” Peterson said. “I tried basketball. Baseball is kind of my thing, I guess. I’m enjoying it.”

Senators head coach Jon Burnett knew baseball was Peterson’s niche from his days in Class B.

On June 16 in Billings, Peterson reinforced that on one of Montana American Legion Baseball’s biggest stages, pitching a complete-game two-hitter against the three-loss Scarlets.

“I talked to him the day before (that game) and tried to make him understand how good he is,” Burnett said.

“I think this is the first time he’s really started to realize how good he is. »

Ineligible to pitch Sunday in the tournament championship (pitch count), Peterson will be relegated to the role of cheerleader for rotation teammate Will Lyng.

Flirting with Helena’s single-season ERA record, Lyng leads a trio of pitchers ready to lead the Senators back to the top of the mountain.

Together, Lyng, Peterson and Tyler Beaver have a 1.75 ERA (40 ER in 159.1 IP).

Nineteen of Helena’s 24 victories are shared between them.

“It’s pretty elite,” Peterson said. “Those two are terrific…

“They throw a lot of strikes and they have great off-speed. I think we’re one of the best lines in the state. I think we can compete with anybody.

Laurel (17-13), undefeated in pool play, reached the championship by beating the Calgary Bison 10-0 on Saturday morning.

Beau Mares pitched a four-inning no-hitter (four walks, RAP, three strikeouts) and Reece Dolechek and Nick Schneider each drove in two runs.

Laurel had a 10-game winning streak entering Sunday, while Helena has won 15 of its last 18 games overall.

“We’re excited to play in front of our home fans,” Burnett said.

“Laurel had a great tournament and looked really good, so we’re excited to play someone new and have a good match.”

Helena Senators shortstop Bohden Bahnmiller had three more hits Saturday.

He is 18 for his last 37 (.486) at the plate.

First baseman Carter Perlinski has a modest four-game hitting streak before making the championship run.

He has an .815 batting average (two doubles, one triple, three home runs) in his last 10 games.

Walker DesRosier (.394), Brayden Beatty (.391), Sam Ark (.389), Matt Golemon (.333), Perlinski (.333) and Colt Tietje (.320) have all hit above .300 since June 20 (10 games).

No. 7 CPBA Bison vs. Helena Reps; 9 a.m.

No. 5 Butte Miners (see below) vs. No. 6 Calgary Cardinals; 11:45

No. 3 Mount Vernon River Dogs vs. No. 4 Lethbridge Elks; 2:30 p.m.

No. 1 Helena Senators vs. No. 2 Laurel Dodgers; 5:15 p.m. (championship)

Lucas Harris-Huerta made his first cuts Saturday on the brown turf adjacent to the batters’ boxes at Kindrick Legion Field, looking toward a tie game and the winning run at first.

The Butte High junior, a freshman, didn’t expect to play, but a two-out rally to avoid a winless pool play record at the Keith Sell Tournament changed Harris-Huerta’s role from cheerleader to hero.

“I just have to come for the boys,” Harris-Huerta remembers thinking about the dish.

“Do what I can to achieve victory.”

Gavin Trudgeon stole Harris-Huerta’s second three pitches, appearing in third after a wild pitch three offers later.

On the next pitch, Harris-Huerta hit a 2-2 fastball over the second baseman’s head, snapping Butte’s five-game losing streak.

Harris-Huerta was mobbed by his teammates on the green artificial turf behind first base.

“It’s amazing,” Harris-Huerta said. “I don’t feel a better feeling in the world. »

“He’s just clutch,” Butte head coach Jim LeProwse said. “He doesn’t get rattled…

“I could have brought in a few guys that I would have been comfortable with in that situation, but he’s one of the guys that really has confidence in himself. I knew he was the right person for this situation.

Playing without Gatorade High School Player of the Year Cayde Stajcar (travel team), the Miners had 11 hits. Ethan Cunningham and Zack O’Connell had two-hit games.

O’Connell provided a two-out RBI single in the seventh inning to help set up Harris-Huerta’s heroics.

“It was a great way to end (the losing streak),” LeProwse said.

“A group of guys stepped up, came off the bench and made plays for us.”