SAN BERNADINO, Calif. -- After suffering their first loss of the Little League Baseball Northwest Regional tournament late Monday night, the Billings Heights-National team responded in a big way Tuesday.
The Montana state champions drilled Wyoming 20-0 in a shortened three-inning game on Tuesday, racking up three runs in the first inning and four in the second before exploding for 13 in the third. Anthony Williams, Austin Pellersels and Westen Fink each knocked in three runs for the Montanans, while Chaise Tracy added two RBI and crossed the plate four times himself.
Wyoming struggled from the get-go, hitting Montana's first batter and walking the next two. Tracy scored on a wild pitch, and Williams and Smith added runs in the first inning. The second brought more of the same, as Montana's first three batters got on base. Williams hit a sacrifice fly that scored Winter Lonebear and Paxton Finch, and Tracy scored on a Pellersels double. Pellersels came around to score on a Brady Baker single.
With a 7-0 lead, Billings opened the floodgates in the third inning. Lonebear and Fitch scored on an error; Tracy scored on a Williams single; Williams scored on a fielder's choice; Pellersels scored on a Fink double; Fink scored on a Maddex Hemming single; Hemming scored on a Fitch single; Fitch scored on a Tracy triple; Tracy scored on an error; Williams scored on a Fink single; and Connor Smith scored on a Brady Christianson single.
The Billings Little Leaguers recorded 16 hits in 27 at-bats, with Pellersels leading the way with a 3-for-3 day. Tracy, Williams, Fink and Finch each had two hits.
Baker and Christianson combined to throw three innings of two-hit ball. Baker struck out four Wyoming batters.
Montana will next play the winner of Tuesday night's game between Alaska and Washington. That game will be at 5 p.m. (MDT) Wednesday and is available to stream on ESPN+.
