Montana Class B-C state softball tournament 2025

GLASGOW — The Shepherd Fillies were going to stop for ice cream at the Malta Dairy Queen on their way back to Billings.

Probably some of the best ice cream players, coaches, parents and supporters will ever taste, considering the reason for the treats was to celebrate the Fillies being crowned as queens of Class B-C softball Saturday in Glasgow.

Eastern Divisional champion Shepherd won its first State B-C softball championship on Saturday with a dominant 12-2 victory over Western Division titlist Florence in the title game at Jeff Jurgens Cal Ripken Field here.

Shepherd had come oh, so close to a state title last year at Stewart Park in Billings, dropping two games to Manhattan in the championship round, so this championship, like the ice cream that was to come later, was oh, so sweet.

"It's kind of surreal right now, I'm still kind of in shock, especially coming off of last year being in the state game," Shepherd coach Lori Goodell told The Billings Gazette and 406 MT Sports in a phone interview as the team bussed home from Glasgow. "But, these girls are just amazing. From pitching, to hitting to their defense; they just knew how to get the job done."

Shepherd sisters, junior Krista Dunn and sophomore Charity Dunn, pitched the Fillies (24-0) past the Falcons (27-4).

"We just had to stay focused and just hit our spots, trust our team and play ball," said Krista Dunn.

Krista Dunn threw the first three innings and allowed three hits and two runs (one earned). She walked two and fanned two. Charity Dunn relieved and pitched three scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out three without walking a batter.

"It was amazing," said Charity Dunn of Shepherd's magical state tournament, with the Fillies scoring a 16-0 win over Thompson Falls, a 12-1 win over St. Ignatius-Arlee-Charlo, and a 9-1 win over Manhattan before capping it with the 12-2 victory over Florence-Carlton. "I think we came in confident, but not too confident, and at the same time we were just trying to have fun. It's a fun game."

The Florence-Carlton Falcons held off the defending state champion Manhattan Tigers 8-7 in the semifinal/loser-takes-third-place game Saturday morning at Jeff Jurgens Cal Ripken Field to punch their ticket to the State B-C softball championship game against Shepherd.

Shepherd 12, Florence-Carlton 2 (championship)

The Fillies finished an impressive 4-0 state tournament run by claiming their first state championship.

Leading 3-2, Shepherd — the State B-C runner-up in 2024 and the State B runner-up in 1997 — scored six runs in the top of the fourth inning to take command of the game.

The big inning was highlighted by a three-run Breelyn Fulton homer that gave the Fillies a 9-2 advantage. Payton Welch also hit a two-run single in the frame.

Fulton also hit a solo homer in the top of the third for a 3-1 Shepherd advantage. She told The Gazette and 406 MT Sports in a phone interview that the Fillies were motivated from their second-place showing at state last year.

"It just felt good, honestly," said Fulton. "It's nice that we just came back from last year."

An undefeated 24-0 campaign was made possible because of a close-knit team explained Fulton, who is a junior.

"We're just like a really good team. We have good chemistry, and it's just really fun to play," she said.

Coach Goodell said that finishing undefeated was a byproduct of all the hard work Shepherd put in throughout the season, all with a goal of gradually improving and peaking at the state tournament.

"I don't think it was even a thought," she said when asked if the Fillies focused on their perfect record as the season played out. "I think we just kind of stuck to our motto of getting 1% better and taking care of us and not looking at the end result and just making sure that we won every inning; and taking it pitch by pitch and just doing the little things."

Krista Dunn said that the Fillies believed in themselves all the way through the season, from their opening day victory on March 25 in Shepherd through divisionals and the state tournament. At state, Shepherd topped Manhattan 9-1 in the undefeated semifinal on Friday to finish 6-0 against the Tigers this year.

"I knew from the beginning of the season, like our first game," said Krista Dunn when asked when she first thought the Fillies might be a special team. "I feel like it was just, we played really well and played together really well."

Overall, Fulton finished 3 of 4 with three runs and five RBIs. All three of Fulton’s hits were for extra-bases as she added a double. Krista Dunn notched three RBIs and Welch two.

Karli Goodell was 2 of 4 for Shepherd with two runs. Charlotte White doubled for Shepherd.

In total, Shepherd tallied 12 hits and three errors. Florence-Carlton had six hits and three errors.

It was the first game of the year between the Eastern Divisional champion Filles and the Western Divisional titlist Falcons. To the Fillies, it didn't matter who they played in the championship contest as they were focused.

"It was kind of just a game. We didn't have much to lose," said Charity Dunn. "We were undefeated, so we had two games if we did lose the first. And we could kind of relax and have fun, because we know we can do it."

The Fillies put together an amazing season with their historic first state championship with a roster that included five juniors, five sophomores, three freshmen and one eighth-grader.

"Not having any seniors, I think in the back of our head we're like, all right, we're already stacked for next year," said coach Goodell. "We have some good eighth-graders coming up and are just getting excited to just keep building."

Part of the reason, Shepherd may have been able to focus and play so well was the Fillies kept things in perspective and zeroed in on this year. Fulton said she only recently became aware Shepherd had never previously won a state softball title.

"It feels really good," Fulton said of earning the program's first softball championship trophy. "I honestly didn't know that until somebody said something. So, it's pretty special."

The Falcons were seeking their 13th championship, having won crowns in 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. The Falcons were the State B-C runners-up in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2019.

Florence-Carlton finished its state tourney run 4-2.

Elizabeth Camp batted 2 for 2 for Florence-Carlton and Reilly Reed drove in a run. Jayden Fisher was 1 for 3 with a run per the team's GameChanger account.

Florence-Carlton 8, Manhattan 7 (semifinal/loser-takes-third-place game)

Florence-Carlton held a five-run advantage before Manhattan scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth, however the Falcons held on for the win.

With the victory, Florence-Carlton avenged a 3-2 setback to Manhattan in the quarterfinals on Thursday. After that setback, Florence-Carlton responded with three-straight win-or-go-home victories.

Taylor Pyette hit a two-run homer in the top of the second for Florence-Carlton as the Falcons built a 5-1 lead. Third baseman Ava Philbrick batted 3 for 4, including a double, with a run and two RBIs for the Falcons per the team's GameChanger account.

The Falcons leadoff batter, Maggie Schneider was 2 for 4 with a pair of runs, and No. 2 hitter Kaylee Crawford finished 2 for 5 with a run. Overall, Florence-Carlton stroked 13 hits.

Two pitchers worked the game for the Falcons. Kenzie Pickering pitched the first 2.1 innings, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned) and Jayden Fisher pitched the last 4.2 innings. Fisher allowed four hits and four earned runs. She walked two and struck out six.

For Manhattan, right fielder Averie Matheson batted 2 for 4, with a home run, a run and an RBI. Abby Samuel, Camdyn Holgate and Morgan Pavlik all doubled. Pavlik and Samuel both drove in two runners. Holgate crossed the plate for three runs.