Dillon, MT – Facing elimination, the Havre Northstars delivered when it mattered most.
Havre outlasted the Dillon Cubs in a back-and-forth thriller Friday afternoon, escaping with an 11-10 victory in an elimination game at the 2026 American Legion Class A State Tournament to keep its season alive.
The Northstars wasted little time taking control, erupting for four runs in the top of the first inning. Connor Essert opened the scoring with a two-run single before Kody Standiford followed with a two-run double, giving Havre an early 4-0 advantage.
After the Northstars’ offense went quiet for the next few innings, the Cubs clawed back to tie the game in the fourth before taking their first lead, 7-6, in the fifth following a Havre error.
Quinn Elliot answered in the sixth, ripping a triple down the right-field line to score the tying run and even the game at 7-7. The momentum was short-lived, however, as Dillon responded in the bottom half of the inning with two runs to reclaim a 9-7 lead heading into the seventh.
With their season hanging by a thread, the Northstars mounted one final rally.
Havre loaded the bases with two outs, bringing Elliot to the plate with the Northstars down to their final out. The clutch hitter delivered once again, driving a bases-clearing triple into left field to erase the deficit and give Havre its first lead since the third inning at 10-9.
The Northstars added a crucial insurance run moments later when Brayden McLain worked a bases-loaded walk, pushing the advantage to 11-9. That extra run proved to be the difference.
The Cubs mounted one last charge in the bottom of the seventh, scoring once and putting the tying run on second with one out. But Havre slammed the door in spectacular fashion. Hayden Berreth made a running catch in right field before firing a strike to second base to double off the runner and complete the game-ending double play, preserving the dramatic 11-10 victory.
Elliot powered the Northstars’ offense, finishing 3-for-4 with five RBIs, including a pair of triples and the game-changing bases-clearing hit in the seventh. Essert and Standiford also turned in key offensive performances, each driving in multiple runs.
On the mound, Teegan Solomon earned the win, tossing the final 1⅓ innings while allowing just one hit and one unearned run. He struck out two to help secure Havre’s season-saving victory.
The Northstars now turn their attention to another elimination game Saturday at 4 p.m., where they will get a chance at redemption against the Miles City Mavericks.
Stay tuned to New Media Broadcasters Sports throughout the weekend for complete coverage of the Havre Northstars and the 2026 American Legion Class A State Tournament.
