Wolfpack cut down Knights, 7-6

Glacier catcher Brady Buckmaster (18) tags out Missoula Hellgate's Owen Felton (9) on a throw from center fielder Teagan Dixon to preserve a 7-6 lead in the seventh inning at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier's Brady Lewellen (27) connects on a triple to start a five-run rally in the fifth inning against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier pitcher Kaeden Kahler (22) delivers against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier's Zane Huff (9) scores a run on a wild pitch in the fifth inning against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier's Zane Huff (9) gets congratulated by teammates after scoring a run on a wild pitch in the fifth inning against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier right fielder Max Weber (10) catches a fly ball against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier third baseman Ryne Gillette (13) throws out a runner at first base after fielding a ground ball against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier's Falon Clark (14) celebrates on second base after hitting a double against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Missoula Hellgate's Owen Felton (9) steals second base ahead of the tag by Glacier shortstop Tate Kahler (4) at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier's Kaeden Kahler (22) drives in Ryne Gillette with an RBI single after Gillette's triple in the first inning against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier's Ryne Gillette (13) connects on a triple in the first inning against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier shortstop Kyler Croft (11) gets the force out at second base and tries to turn a double play against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
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Glacier shortstop Kyler Croft (11) fields a ground ball against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier second baseman Tate Kahler (4) makes a throw to first base for an out against Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field on Friday, May 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

by JON ALLEN
Daily Inter Lake | May 22, 2026 10:00 PM

One play can make or break a season and Teagan Dixon’s throw home on an Andrew Richardson single broke Missoula Hellgate’s season as Glacier held on for a 7-6 victory Friday in a Western AA play-in game at Griffin Field.

Brady Buckmaster brought in Dixon’s throw and tagged Owen Felton at the plate to preserve the one-run lead and give Hellgate two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

“As soon as he hit that ball and it got past the infield I knew I was going to make that throw,” Dixon said. “My throw was a little bit off, but he (Buckmaster) grabbed it and turned around real quick and made the tag. I couldn’t have done it with anyone else.”

Kyler Croft wrapped up the game with a strikeout of Daniel Fagan as the Wolfpack (13-6) wrapped up the No. 3 seed in the West for the State Tournament that begins Thursday in Butte.

“With their attitude and mentality right now, they can do anything,” Wolfpack coach Erik Brink said. “Their attitudes have been fantastic. All we have to do is go play baseball. I am very proud of these guys.”

Glacier jumped out in front in the first thanks to an RBI single from Kaeden Kahler after Ryne Gillette tripled to the right field fence. In the second, Brady Lewellen made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Then Hellgate (5-12) started to capitalize on offense. Everett Roberts singled in a run in the third to make it 2-1, then two more Knights came in on wild pitches. Hellgate took a 4-2 lead in the fifth thanks to an error.

“We faced a little bit of adversity tonight. It was kind of like a punch in the mouth to us,” Dixon said. “We weren’t totally expecting it, but these guys came to play and so did we.”

“It was one of those games that makes your blood pressure go up, but our kids responded well,” Brink said.

Glacier seized back control in the bottom of the fifth, as Lewellen hit a leadoff triple and scored on a passed ball. Then Falon Clark doubled and Gillette singled to put two runners on.

The Wolfpack then capitalized on three hit batsmen, two wild pitches and an error to plate four more and take a 7-4 advantage.

Hellgate wasn’t finished yet as Lincoln Chamberlain hit an RBI single in the sixth. Another run scored on a passed ball to make it 7-6, but the Knights got no closer.

Kahler tossed five innings for Glacier, allowing six runs on four hits. He fanned seven. Wyatt Sharp and Croft added one inning each in relief, not allowing a run. Both struck out a pair.

Richardson threw five innings for the Knights, allowing seven runs on five hits. He sat down eight batters.

Glacier faces the No. 2 seed in the East, Great Falls CMR, in the first round of the AA State Baseball Tournament in Butte on May 28-30.

Hellgate 003 012 0 - 6 7 0

Glacier 110 050 x - 7 5 1

Andrew Richardson, Seamus Kane (6) and Tor Cooper. Kaeden Kahler, Wyatt Sharp (6), Kyler Croft (7) and Brady Buckmaster.

MISSOULA HELLGATE — Conner Larson 0-3, Lakin Lambert 0-1, Owen Felton 2-4, Everett Roberts 1-4, Andrew Richardson 2-3, Daniel Fagan 0-2, Dillon Daniel 0-3, Lincoln Chamberlain 1-3, Seamus Kane 0-2, Tor Cooper 1-1.

GLACIER — Teagan Dixon 0-4, Ryne Gillette 2-4, Kaeden Kahler 1-2, Wyatt Sharp 0-0, Brady Buckmaster 0-2, Kyler Croft 0-2, Tate Kahler 0-2, Max Weber 0-2, Bready Lewellen 1-1, Falon Clark 1-2.

2B — Clark. 3B — Gillette, Lewellen. RBIs — Chamberlain, Roberts. K.Kahler, Buckmaster, Lewellen.

Reporter Jon Allen can be reached at 406-758-4426 or jallen@dailyinterlake.com. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.