Keith Sell Tournament: Helena Senators run-rule Calgary on Carter Perlinski moonshot; Caton, Dolechek lift Laurel (2024)

HELENA —Weather and the Keith Sell Tournament have unfortunately intertwined the last couple years, but Thursday’s soggy conditions delayed Game 1 all of five minutes before a beautiful afternoon took over.

Helena Senators 10, Calgary Cardinals 2

The only Senator seeing things better than Bohden Bahnmiller at the plate tumbled into home out of breath and exuberant Thursday night, the hero of a milestone game.

Officially credited with a run-rule securing two-run triple on a play resembling an inside-the-park homer, Carter Perlinski spit on three free passes-worth of pitches before sending a moonshot clear of the centerfielder’s head when it mattered most.

Perlinski’s fifth extra-base in his last seven games, he has a trio of long balls in his last 25 plate appearances.

“I was just waiting for a pitch to hit,” Perlinski said. “I saw that [one], I swung, I heard it off the bat, and I just knew to start running…

“Great sound, pretty exciting.”

Helena’s first home game since May 17, Thursday was the Senators’ first contest and first victory at a renovated Kindrick Legion Field.

Thirty-five tons of MLB-grade clay resurfaced the infield, the pitcher’s mound was reworked, and synthetic turf was placed down each foul line and batter’s boxes during a 23-day project.

Dr. David Lechner (BlueCross BlueShield of Montana), JD Mooney (Stockman Bank) and Helena City Commissioner Emily Dean, representing key partners in the project, were on hand to throw out ceremonial first pitches Thursday.

The Senators, now 1-0 in Keith Sell Tournament pool play, battle Butte (0-2 pool play) on Friday at 8 p.m.

“We’re excited to be back,” Senators head coach Jon Burnett said. “It’s been a long haul on the road, so the guys were excited to be back and playing in front of our fans…

“Just happy to be back playing in front of this community that supports us so well. To have the first game on this turf is pretty special. Kids played well and they were excited to be out here.”

Bahnmiller, one of two super seniors on Helena’s roster, was on base four times in the victory.

Less than a calendar year ago, Bahnmiller exited Helena’s Northwest Regional matchup with a shoulder injury. He underwent surgery shortly thereafter, but fractured his leg in the spring, prematurely ending his freshman season at Miles Community College.

Having played just a couple dozen games since last August, Bahnmiller enjoyed his fifth multi-hit game in his last six overall Thursday night.

His three RBI, on a pair of up-the-middle singles, gave the All-State shortstop 12 RBI since Friday (5 games).

“I think he’s just excited to be playing baseball right now,” Burnett said. “He loves the team, loves being a team leader. He’s doing everything we could ask of him.”

In his last 29 plate appearances (7 games), Bahnmiller is slashing .481/.483/.630/1.112. He paces the Senators in hits (13), doubles (four), RBI (12), and is second in runs scored (seven) during that same time span.

“It’s awesome,” Bahnmiller said. “I love it here. That’s why I chose to come back for my super senior year…

“I love it in Helena…The community, it’s just like Miles, they’re super supportive of everything.”

“Bo is a guy who’s always staying positive,” Perlinski said. “He might get mad at himself, but in the end, he’s always positive. Always bringing the energy to the game, always excited to go out there and compete.”

Helena's Matt Golemon drove in three runs with three sacrifice flies Thursday.

Walker DesRosier finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

Right-hander Tyler Beaver struck out six and allowed just three hits and two earned runs over five innings of work.

Laurel Dodgers 4, Butte Miners 3

Red clay marking his Dodger blue jersey, shortstop Pierce Caton soaked in Laurel’s seventh-straight victory as his pitcher, Reece Dolechek, pumped his fist, the game-tying run stranded at second.

A game over .500 following an 0-6 start, the Dodgers haven’t lost since June 14 in Miles City.

“We decided we don’t wanna do that anymore,” Caton said.

“We’re gonna play the baseball we’re meant to play.”

Laurel advanced to 1-0 in Keith Sell Tournament pool play and faces Lethbridge on Friday at 11:45 a.m.

Caton extended a six-game hit streak Thursday, reaching base twice, and scoring Laurel’s go-ahead run in the fifth. He swiped two bases, including on a play that knotted the contest at 3-3, and caught a seventh-inning pop-up that helped Dolechek wiggle free of one final jam.

A member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe and Red Lodge High sophom*ore, Caton was recently recognized as one the country’s top-50 high school indigenous baseball players.

His mother, Caton said, grew up on the reservation and struggled to make the best of a tough life.

He traveled to Atlanta earlier this month to participate in the third annual Atlanta Braves Native American All-Star Showcase, back to a city he lived as a toddler while his father was stationed at a local Army base.

Caton, Montana’s only showcase representative, said he came within feet of hitting a home run during the Home Run Derby at Truist Park and started at third base for the Red Team in a showcase game.

“I just wanted to be there, show that people can play baseball in Montana and that we have a lot of talent here,” Caton said.

“It means a lot to me to represent my tribe and my people and to play baseball. Show that Native Americans are out there and they’re playing ball too.”

Laurel right-hander Reece Dolechek scattered seven hits and two walks over seven innings.

He allowed three runs (one earned) and struck out three.

Laurel’s Eric Haus finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Butte’s Anthony Knott doubled and scored twice.

Lethbridge Elks 5, Butte Miners 2

Ty Mabin homered and Jarret McNeill collected three hits as the Elks improved to 1-0 in Keith Sell Tournament pool play on Thursday afternoon.

Butte, following an early afternoon loss to Laurel (see above), dropped to 0-2 in pool play.

Tocher Lee, Logan Carden and Lucas Harris-Huerta tallied hits. Lee drove in a run with a groundout in the third inning, while Harris-Huerta was the last of three straight reaches to begin the seventh.

Teagan Duffy represented Butte’s tying run in the seventh, but rolled into a 6-4-3 double play.

Butte pitcher Derek Dunmire allowed eight hits, five runs (three earned), and four walks in seven innings. Lethbridge righty River Hope scattered two hits and two walks over four frames. Bowen Weaver worked three innings of one-run relief.

Lethbridge begins Day 2 of the tournament with back-to-back games against Calgary and Laurel.

Butte faces Helena at 8 p.m. on Friday.

Keith Sell Tournament pool play records

Helena Senators – 1-0

Laurel Dodgers – 1-0

Lethbridge Elks – 1-0

Mount Vernon River Dogs – 1-0

CPBA Bison – 0-1

Calgary Cardinals – 0-1

Butte Miners – 0-2

Day 2 (Friday) schedule

Lethbridge Elks vs. CPBA Bison; 9 a.m.

Lethbridge Elks vs. Laurel Dodgers; 11:45 a.m.

Calgary Cardinals vs. Laurel Dodgers; 2:30 p.m.

Calgary Cardinals vs. Mount Vernon; 5:15 p.m.

Helena Senators vs. Butte Miners; 8 p.m.