MISSOULA- On Friday, April 26, the Hellgate softball team pulled off a feat that had not been accomplished in over five seasons. And on a squad with only two seniors, the Knights’ program is starting to look up, and is beginning to grow.
On a soggy afternoon at the annual round-robin Frenchtown High School Invitational tournament, red and gold celebrated on the field at the conclusion of a three-inning 13-3 run rule victory, on four hits and only one error. Although that might not seem a big feat to most competitors, it certainly helped light the fire for a program itching to grow with immense young talent.
One young player in particular has helped lead the Knights to their first competitive season in recent history. Kaylie Moe has led the Knights on the mound and with her bat in her second season. The standout sophomore is slashing .267 in 30 at bats, and leads the team in runs with nine. Moe is also the go-to pitcher for first year head coach Trey Magnuson. She has started nearly every game for the Knights in the circle recording over 41 innings pitched this season, and has struck out 18.
Junior infielder Shannon Kane has also been a leader on this young Hellgate lineup. She leads the team in nearly every offensive category, and has a .757 fielding percentage. Kane has slashed .447/.500/1.315 in her blazing junior season. She has also stolen five bags and has whacked a home run, five doubles, and a triple.
“This season has been so fun,” said Kane. “Our team as a whole has developed so much within the last couple of months. As for the season, we have really focused on individual improvement so we can come together as a team in a more efficient way. Our belief in each other and the team has significantly increased.”
As for comparison to other Montana competition, both Moe and Kane have found their names on multiple leaderboards. Kane’s slugging percentage of .815 ranks 24th across all classifications in the State. Moe’s 10 stolen bags ranks 9th for Montana competition, and second for competitors in the Western AA. As for the team as a whole, they are below the national average in strikeouts, and are only a few below the averages for doubles, triples, and home runs, a testament to the pop that is present up and down Hellgate’s lineup.
“I am really looking forward to next season because I truly believe that we have the ability to win more games,” added Kane. “I am so excited to watch the team improve and hopefully continue to send the program in a positive direction.”
Sophomores Ella Lambert and Piper Wells are two other big firecrackers for the large class of 2026 that is in the program. Lambert has been the catcher for Magnuson this year, and has a perfect fielding percentage of 1.000. She is slashing .222 in 27 at bats, and has a .300 on base percentage with a .670 OPS. Wells has a batting average of .250 and an OPS of .500.
The Knights will graduate their two seniors this year, before they bring in their class of 2025 to lead next year’s squad as their program keeps looking up, and the pieces begin to fall into place in the diamond.
