Big sixth-inning rally lifts Great Falls High softball to crosstown win over CMR

The big rally came late for the Great Falls High softball team, but head coach Robb Soltesz saw the fight in his team from the jump.

Down 4-0 after a half inning to C.M. Russell High, senior Drew Swingley cracked a double to lead off before Ava Newmack sent one over the fence to deep left centerfield to cut the early deficit in half.

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While the fireworks would come five innings later for the Bison, Soltesz said the early response was a sign of things to come.

“They showed they didn’t have any quit in them from the get-go," Soltesz said. "They just kept chipping away.”

The no-quit attitude led to a five-run sixth inning for Great Falls High — pairing nicely with a strong relief pitching performance from Kinslee Reeves — as the Bison rallied to take down the rival Rustlers 9-8 on Friday, May 8, at the Multi-Sports Complex.

Ava Newmack clocked a pair of home runs for the Bison for three total RBIs, while Swingley added a solo shot and a crucial RBI with two outs in the sixth-inning rally.

The Great Falls High (4-10 overall, 2-7 Eastern AA) victory came despite Rilee Mares and Myli Adams combining for five CMR homers, the former tallying three solo jacks and the latter blasting a three-run shot in the first and a solo in the fourth.

Mares third home run of the evening put the Rustlers up 8-3 with no outs in the top of the fifth, with Reeves eventually spelling the starter Swingley in the circle for the Bison.

Ava Newmack cut it to 8-4 with her solo bomb in the bottom of the fifth before freshman Nina Newmack belted an RBI double to start off the sixth-inning Great Falls High surge. Landry Moog knocked in another run on the following at-bat, and Swingley made it a one-run affair four batters later on an infield single.

The Rustlers (9-5 overall, 5-4 conference) elected to intentionally walk Ava Newmack with two outs to load the bases, and senior Avery Rains delivered for the Bison with an RBI single to tie the game — with the eventual game-winner scoring as well on a CMR throwing error.