Whitefish Baseball Season Comes to a Close at State Tourney

For the second season in a row, the Whitefish High School baseball team would participate in the State Tournament.

Following their runner-up season, a year ago, the Dawgs would fall in both their contests this year.

The Dawgs would open the State Tournament against Belgrade, on Thursday, and fell in extra innings, 8-7.

This was the best game of the opening round.

Brady Howke took to the hill for the Dawgs and tossed his best game of the season. He went 5 innings, gave up 6 hits, 4 runs (3 earned) and walked 3.

The Dawgs would lead early in this one, plating 2 in the top of the second. After a Christian Schwaderer triple Avery Caton would bring him in with a Fielder's Choice RBI. Caton's courtesy runner would score later in the inning to give the Dawgs a 2-0 lead.

Belgrade answered in the bottom of the second and tied up the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third.

Whitefish would re-take the lead in the fourth, thanks to an RBI groundout by CJ Thew but Belgrade tied it back up at 3 all after 4 innings of play.

Both teams would exchange runs in the 5th to keep the game knotted up at 4-4.

The Dawgs would grab the lead, once again in the 6th and held a 5-4 lead, heading into the bottom of the 7th.

Belgrade was down to not only their final strike but their final out in the 7th when Gage Banks tied it up with an RBI double, sending the game to extra innings.

In the 8th, Calvin Eisenbarth singled and CJ Thew was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on the base paths. Tait Orme had an RBI single in the extra frame while Michael Miller garnered a Sac Fly RBI and the Dawgs took a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the 8th.

Belgrade continued to show resilience as they had runners on second and third with one out. After a Ryas Olsen 2 RBI single tied up the game, the Panthers loaded the bases for their cleanup hitter, Brayten Van Dyken. The Panthers would win the game on an RBI Suicide squeeze.

Again, the final was 8-7, Dawgs falling in extras.

In game 2, of the State Tournament, the Dawgs would be matched-up with Eureka for the 3rd time this season.

Whitefish would fall by a final of 15-8, ending their season.

The game was tied at 1-1 after 1 inning of play.

The Dawgs would plate one in the 2nd, thanks to an RBI Triple by Michael Miller but it was all Eureka from their.

The Lions scored 2 in the 3rd to make it 3-2.

The Lions outscored the Dawgs 12-6 over the final four innings, highlighted by a 5-run 4th and a 5-run 7th.

State Tournament Highlights below:

The Dawgs officially finish the season 9-13 overall, 6-4 in conference play.

The Dawgs lose just 2 seniors from this years team: Michael Miller and Brady Howke.

Look for the Dawgs to return a bevy of players next year as they'll try to make it three straight seasons competing at the State Tournament.

In other State Tournament action:

Florence-Carlton would win the 2024 State Tournament, defeating Hamilton by a final of 4-3.

Columbia Falls would take 3rd place, winning the consolation over Butte 16-2.