AA Softball: Rustlers, Bison have high hopes

Great Falls is the place to be for Class AA softball fans as the best in the state come to Multi-Sports.

It’s very possible they’ve been here all along.

“I think both us and the Bison definitely have a good shot at it,” said coach Lindsey Gustafson of the defending state champion C.M. Russell High Rustlers.

The Rustlers, a perennial AA softball power with eight state championships in the 30-year history of the sport in Montana, are 20-1 and take on Missoula Big Sky (11-12-1) Thursday afternoon at 4 in a first-round game.

Great Falls High (19-4) opens against Missoula Sentinel (13-10) Thursday at 2 as the double-elimination event gets underway. Two of the Bison losses have come to Russell this spring, by scores of 1-0 and 3-1.

“If we get another chance to play them I think it will be another really good game,” said Bison coach Mike Coleman, who coached GFH to its only state championship four years ago. “All the teams are good, but CMR probably has to be the favorite because of (Tristin) Achenbach.”

The 6-foot-1 senior, who transferred to Russell last fall after leading the Conrad-Choteau team to a pair of Class B-C state titles, is considered one of the top pitchers in state history. She’s 13-0 with a 0.28 earned-run average.

“The way that she can mix it up, in and out, up and down and offspeed … You just don’t see pitchers like that come around very often,” said Gustafson, a former NCAA Division II All-American pitcher at North Dakota State. “It’s been a pleasure to coach her.”

If Achenbach, who is also a strong hitter, isn’t the best player in the state, CMR senior shortstop Savanna Voyles is. The four-year starter is hitting .567 with 14 homers this year.

“She’s one of a kind. I’ve never seen a hitter like her before,” Gustafson said. “And I don’t know if I’ll ever have another one like her.”

Sophomore Madison Moore (.484, seven HRs) is another exceptional CMR hitter.

“I feel good about the weekend,” said Gustafson, “but I just want to see us play to our potential, stay consistent and be aggressive. And I hope that gets us playing on Saturday.”

Great Falls High features talented junior pitcher Erin Hocker (12-2, 0.88 ERA).

“The main thing about it is her ball moves and she’s real consistent with hitting her spots,” Coleman said. “She’s not making mistakes; she’s hitting corners. That changeup is working, and when you can keep people off-balance with that changeup it sets up the rest of your stuff real well.”

Great Falls High offensive leaders include McKenzie Staats, Tanaya Krenik and Cayley Bushong, who are all hitting better than .400.

“I’m hoping Hocker’s ready to pitch and the girls are ready to hit,” Coleman said.

Other first-round games include Helena Capital (18-2) vs. Billings Senior (15-8) at 2 and Helena High (13-9) vs. Butte (12-12) at 4.

Capital features Shelby Martin, who is 12-2 on the mound and has six homers.

Each team plays just once on Thursday. The winners advance to 10 a.m. games Friday, with the remaining unbeaten teams slated to meet Friday afternoon at 4. It would not be a surprise to see the Rustlers and Bison squaring off in that one.

Multi-Sports, which has undergone some renovation on two fields with more scheduled thanks to the city and recent fundraising efforts by the civic-minded Confero Sports Foundation, figures to be filled with fans all weekend.

“We have such great community support,” said Gustafson. “It’s great to see.”