C.M. Russell High softball team defeated Great Falls High 15-0, hitting five home runs. The victory avenged a previous one-run loss and secured a strong finish to the regular season.
The C.M. Russell High softball team just couldn’t wait for the postseason to arrive.
The Rustlers (13-7 overall, 7-5 Eastern AA) belted five home runs as they downed rival Great Falls High 15-0 in three innings on Friday, May 15, avenging a one-run loss a week prior as the regular season concluded.
CMR put up nine runs in the first two innings on the Bison (4-16, 2-10) at the Multi-Sports Complex, with Ella Cron walking off a six-run third on a two-RBI single to clinch the 15-run rule in a game that lasted just over an hour.
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“I was so proud of them,” CMR head coach Alex Hurley said. “They showed resiliency. They just came out to compete today. They had a message to send. I think it helped kind of make a statement before we go into the playoffs next week, and so it was a big team effort.”
The Rustlers, the No. 4 seed in the Eastern AA, play host to Billings Skyview (6-13, No. 5) in a state-tourney play-in game at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, at Multi-Sports. As the higher seed, CMR needs just one win over the Falcons to advance to state, with an “if-necessary” game scheduled for 4 p.m.
Great Falls High enters the play-in round as the East’s No. 6 seed and will face No. 3 Billings Senior (9-8) on the road at 2 p.m. on May 21, needing two wins to make the tourney on May 28-30 in Missoula.
C.M. Russell High softball's senior shortstop Aspyn Zuelke.
Kaylei Schultz led CMR at the dish as she finished 2-for-2 with two home runs, five RBIs and a walk, while Rilee Mares and Myli Adams each went deep with two-run blasts. Mares and Adams each concluded the regular-season schedule with five homers in the final six games.
“Rilee and Myli have been consistent and our big power hitters,” Hurley said. “It was good to see Kaylei Schultz crack out of her shell today. She’s a great hitter and for her to get two home runs in probably her last crosstown, I’m so proud of her.
The final score was 15-0 in favor of C.M. Russell High.
C.M. Russell High hit five home runs during the game.
C.M. Russell High's overall record improved to 13-7 after the game.
C.M. Russell High played against Great Falls High on Friday, May 15.

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“But all of our girls, one through 12, we’ve focused in on the mental side of it at the plate and just being better hitters, making better decisions and just quality at-bats. They came in with the right mindset today and got it done.”
Cron complemented the Rustlers’ 12-hit outing with a three-inning no-hitter in the circle, slinging five strikeouts to two walks to earn the win. Bison starter Kinslee Reeves was tagged with the loss, with Drew Swingley pitching in relief.
Hurley said she was elated to see Cron’s performance as she spelled the primary starter Adams.
“(Cron) had a great day,” Hurley said. “For her to come out and dominate like that, she needed a game like that. She had her pitches working well, like her curve was working great and she was confident. To see that, it just makes me so happy for her and excited for what the next two weeks hold, with just how solid our pitching staff is.”
Schultz kicked off the night with a three-run homer in the first inning, with catcher Hailey Marr adding a solo shot.
Adams belted a ball deep over the right-field fence for a two-run homer in the second, with Mares adding a two-run shot of her own in between an RBI single from Ruby Dean.
CMR secured the run-rule win in the third behind two Great Falls High errors and Schultz’s second home run, with Cron knocking in the final two necessary runs on the final at-bat.
CMR and Great Falls High split the season series, with the Bison taking a 9-8 contest on May 8.
The Rustlers have bested Skyview twice this season by one run in each game, with a total of 52 runs scored between the two clubs over the two contests. CMR took the last meeting 16-15 on May 9.
Great Falls High lost both matchups with Senior this year, falling 10-5 last weekend on May 8.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Schultz leads CMR softball onslaught over Great Falls High with two homers