Helena blasts six home runs to come back for win over Chelsea

Published 4:35 pm Wednesday, February 28, 2024

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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

HELENA – The Helena Huskies put on a dominant showing at the plate on Tuesday, Feb. 27, launching six home runs against the Chelsea Hornets to take the 11-5 win in a county battle at Helena High School.

Before that, however, Chelsea got off to a strong start by scoring four straight runs to open the game.

Kaitlyn Hopson got the Hornets going on the third pitch of the game with a solo home run to put them up 1-0.

The second inning started the same way as Samantha Sutton launched a leadoff solo shot to extend Chelsea’s lead to 2-0.

After the Huskies got the first out of the top of the third, a walk and a Baylor McCluney double set up Alaysha Crews to hit a two-run double to make the lead four.

Helena finally made its move in a big way in the bottom of the fourth inning.

After the Hornets took the first out of the inning, Emma Olive hit a single to get on base for Destiny Brashears, who hit a two-run home run to make the score 4-2.

On the next at bat, Addison Draiss hit a solo home run of her own to cut the deficit to one.

Molly Rollan then got on base with a single, and with two outs, Henley Traywick hit a two-run home run to give Helena a 5-4 lead.

After a Presley Lively double and a Hannah Steele walk to start the home half of the fifth, the long balls resumed as Emma Olive hit a three-run home run to center field followed by a solo shot from Brashears to increase the lead to 9-4.

The sixth and final deep shot came from Lively in the bottom of the sixth as she took advantage of a leadoff double by Cammi Pugh to hit a two-run home run and break double digits.

Chelsea clawed back one run on an error in the top of the seventh, but the Huskies earned the final out to close out the 11-5 win.

Harley Morrison earned the win after going four innings without allowing an earned run. She struck out three batters against three hits, two walks and an unearned run.

With the win, Helena improves to 12-1 on the season. The Huskies will look to earn a three-game win streak when they travel to Brookwood on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 4:30 p.m.