Montana

Female Area Athlete of the Week: Carsten hitting and pitching for Wolverines

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2024

Female Area Athlete of the Week: Carsten hitting and pitching for Wolverines

WADENA — There is not much Montana Carsten can’t do on the softball field.

The Wadena-Deer Creek junior captain has been dynamite in the pitching circle and at the plate through the first seven games for the Wolverines.

Last week, Carsten recorded three wins in the circle for the Wolverines. She scored nine runs and drove in five runs in six games — all WDC wins.

“When we started practices this year, we kind of saw this new Montana that was ready to go the entire time,” WDC head coach Brooke Umland said. “She was named one of the team captains and she’s really taken on that role for us. She has a seriousness about her and she’s constantly lifting up her teammates. We expected big things from her and she hasn’t disappointed.”

Carsten earned the win in the circle in WDC’s 3-2 victory over Menahga to start the week Tuesday, April 9.

In two games Thursday, April 11, Carsten recorded five hits, scored six runs and drove in two runs as the Wolverines beat Pine River-Backus 14-1 and Staples-Motley 11-1.

“When I get in the box, I just try to hit the ball,” Carsten said. “I try my best to swing at strikes and just get on base as much as I can and score.”

Carsten earned the win in the circle against PRB. In a doubleheader sweep of the Pillager Huskies Friday, April 12, Carsten allowed two hits in a complete-game Game One shutout. Carsten also went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored for the Wolverines in a 12-0 win.

Carsten finished the week by allowing one earned run in a 10-6 win against Parkers Prairie Monday, April 15.

“I was just throwing strikes and just trying to be consistent,” Carsten said. “I know my defense will make plays behind me.”

Carsten holds a 1.03 ERA in the circle and a .637 batting average at the plate.

“Her confidence, whether it’s in the circle or in the box, she expects to do well,” Umland said. “She goes up there and she’s producing for us in all aspects of her game.”

Carsten slots in as the No. 2 hitter in W-DC’s batting order.

“She’s one of our leaders in RBIs because our leadoff hitter is doing a great job of getting on ahead of Montana,” Umland said. “She is doing a great job at the No. 2 spot.”

Hitting at the top of the lineup helps Carsten with her confidence.

“I know there are some big hitters behind me that I know can drive me and my teammates in,” Carsten said.

In the circle, Umland is impressed most by Carsten’s control. In five games, Carsten has walked two batters.

“Even when she is down in the count she can come back and strikout out a batter,” Umland said. “When she’s throwing well, she is pretty much unstoppable with the defense behind her. She trusts them and they trust her.”

Carsten added she tries to aim for the catcher’s glove when pitching — nothing fancy.

“I’ll start with a couple of fastballs and then try to throw either a drop ball or change-up,” Carsten said. “The fastball is probably my best pitch. I feel like I’ve improved on being really consistent and not walking many girls. I just try to get them to hit, so we can get the outs.”

Having Carsten in the circle gives Umland all the confidence in the world as a coach, too.

“When someone commands the strike zone like she is right now you have to go with her,” Umland said. “When you have someone throwing like that our confidence gains more and more every game. She is definitely a tone-setter for us.”

Other notable performances:
Softball: Keira Bertram, Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale, went 6-9 with two doubles.
Kendra Melby, Pierz, 6-8 with three doubles and seven RBIs in two games last week.
Abby Palm, Aitkin, went 6-7 with five RBIs.
Jada Dykhoff, Wadena-Deer Creek, blasted a grand slam against Pillager.
Golf: Genevieve Birkeland, Pequot Lakes, was the medalist for the Granite Ridge Conference meet at Stone Creek Golf Course.

Year: Junior
School: Wadena-Deer Creek
Sport: Softball
Position: Pitcher
Highlights: Montana Carsten recorded eight hits, nine runs and five RBIs across six games. She picked up four wins in the circle.

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Montana

Montana-Montana State’s FCS semifinal get-in ticket prices surpass College Football Playoff games

Published

3 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Montana-Montana State’s FCS semifinal get-in ticket prices surpass College Football Playoff games

Montana-Montana State, known as the Brawl of the Wild, is one of the best rivalries in FCS. This year, more than bragging rights are on the line, as the matchup will take place in the FCS semifinals.

The high stakes and relatively smaller seating capacity have made this game the most expensive entry-level ticket in college football this weekend, including the first round of the College Football Playoff.

The cheapest ticket for the game at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, Montana, is $675 on Gametime Tickets compared to about $350 for the Miami at Texas A&M game, which is the most expensive of the four first-round College Football Playoff matchups. The most expensive ticket for the FCS semifinal is a sideline seat priced at $1,152. The Miami-Texas A&M game has Founder Club tickets listed at $2,484.

The seating capacity for Bobcat Stadium is 20,767, compared to more than 102,000 at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field. The other three CFP games this weekend will be hosted by Oklahoma (capacity 80,126), Ole Miss (64,038) and Oregon (60,000).

Next year’s Montana-Montana State matchup starts at $876, with some tickets listed as high as $1,359.

Montana State is the No. 2 seed in the playoffs at 12-2 after defeating Stephen F. Austin 44-28 in the quarterfinals this past weekend. Third-seeded Montana is 13-1 and beat South Dakota 52-22 in its quarterfinal. Montana leads the all-time rivalry 74-44-5.

Montana State has won the last two matchups between the teams, most recently winning 31-28 at Montana on Nov. 22. At least one of the teams has appeared in the FCS championship game in three of the past four years. Montana’s last national championship came in 2001, while Montana State’s came in 1984.

Montana is led by head coach Bobby Hauck, who is the second-winningest active FCS head coach and one of the top 10 winningest active coaches overall in Division I football at 151-42. Montana’s key players are quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat, running back Eli Gillman and wide receiver Michael Wortham.

Montana State is led by head coach Brent Vigen. Key players for Montana State include quarterback Justin Lamson, running back Julius Davis and wide receiver Taco Dowler.

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Montana

Montana-vs.-Montana State semifinal sequel set for 2 p.m. Saturday on ABC

Published

15 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Montana-vs.-Montana State semifinal sequel set for 2 p.m. Saturday on ABC

The first playoff meeting between football rivals Montana and Montana State is set for 2 p.m. Mountain time next Saturday at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman. The game will air nationally on ABC.

The Bobcats and Grizzlies will square off in the semifinal round of the FCS postseason after each team won convincingly in the quarterfinal round. No. 2-seeded Montana State defeated No. 7 Stephen F. Austin 44-28 at home Friday night and No. 3-seeded Montana raced past No. 11 South Dakota 52-22 on Saturday in Missoula.

Next week’s game between the Cats and Griz will be the 125th all-time meeting, and it will be for a berth in the national championship game Jan. 5 at FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

It will also be the first time the schools have faced each other twice in football in the same season since 1913.

The Bobcats are seeking their fourth all-time trip to the FCS/Division I-AA title game and their third visit in the past five years. MSU claims three national championships — 1956 (NAIA), 1976 (NCAA Division II) and 1984 (I-AA). The Bobcats lost to North Dakota State in the championship game in Frisco, Texas, in both 2021 and last season.

The Grizzlies are looking to make their ninth trip to the championship game and their second in the past three seasons. Montana has won two previous titles — in 1995 and 2001. The Griz suffered title-game losses in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2023.

Montana State beat Montana 31-28 in Missoula on Nov. 22 in the regular-season finale to earn the outright Big Sky Conference title and the No. 2 seed for the playoffs. The Grizzlies lead the all-time series 74-44-5 but MSU owns a 12-10 edge since 2002.

Saturday’s other semifinal game pits unseeded Illinois State against No. 12 seed Villanova. Illinois State went on the road and upset No. 8 seed UC Davis 42-31 in the quarterfinals on Saturday while Villanova held on to beat No. 4 seed Tarleton State 26-21.

Illinois State and Villanova will kick off Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Mountain time on ESPN2.

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Montana

Oregon women earn 11th victory with win over Montana State

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Oregon women earn 11th victory with win over Montana State

Oregon women’s basketball moved to 11-1 following a 69-44 win over Montana State Sunday at Matthew Knight Arena.

Four of Oregon’s starters scored in double figures, led by guard Sofia Bell’s 15 points.

Mia Jacobs added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Katie Fiso and Ari Long each scored 10 points. Fiso added five assists.

Oregon (11-1) struggled shooting, hitting 19 of 58 field goal attempts (32.8%), including 9 of 31 from three-point range (29%). However, those numbers were mainly dragged down in the fourth quarter when the game was well in hand.

Oregon, which led 37-14 at halftime, shot just 22.2% from the field in the final quarter and missed all seven of its three-point attempts. MSU won the quarter 16-11.

Bell went 4 of 8 from long distance, Jacobs went 3 of 8 and Long made both of her three-point attempts. The rest of the team went 0-for-13.

Montana State (6-3) received 14 points and four rebounds from Jamison Philip. The Bobcats shot 1 of 19 from three-point range and committed 23 turnovers that the Ducks converted into 25 points.

Next up: The Ducks host Portland (7-4) at 11 a.m. on Thursday. The Pilots defeated Kent State 88-78 on Sunday.

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