BILLINGS — Under normal circumstances, Kyler Northrop would have been at freshman orientation at Washington State University preparing to begin life as a student-athlete with the Cougars' baseball program.
But these are not normal circumstances. Not for the Scarlets, and not for American Legion baseball in Montana.
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Northrop and the Scarlets ended the state's enduring 62-year drought by defeating Eugene, Ore., twice Sunday at Dehler Park to win the Class AA Northwest Regional championship and clinch a berth in the Legion World Series later this week in Shelby, N.C.
PHOTOS: Billings Scarlets celebrate American Legion World Series berth
They did it by winning five consecutive elimination games over the course of four days following a shutout loss in their tourney opener on Wednesday.
"If you had told me that this was going to happen after that first game, I probably wouldn't have believed you," Northrop, the Scarlets' standout shortstop, said afterward. "But I think the thought process going into the rest of the week was that this might be our last time wearing the jersey, the last time playing with this group.
"And so I think we all just kind of had the mentality that we were going to come out and have fun and play loose and just cherish these last moments. That really got us going, and we just carried the momentum all the way through."
The last Montana Legion team to win the Region 7 title and make a World Series appearance was Post #4 from Billings in 1962, which was the last of four trips the program made to nationals beginning in 1958. Post #4 lost in the Series championship game in 1960.
But you can call the Scarlets drought-busters now, after they beat Eugene 5-4 in nine innings in the early game Sunday and followed with a 7-0 shutout win to clinch the tournament title in Game 2.
They'll now represent Montana on the biggest Legion stage beginning Thursday at Keeter Stadium in Shelby.
For Adam Hust — head coach of the Scarlets for the past 18 seasons and a member of the program for a total of 27 — Sunday's regional championship was an emotional step on the ladder of all the years he's spent coaching and instructing players among this particular group.
"When we got this (regional) bid, you know, months and months ago, I had a feeling something great was going to happen," Hust said. "I've been with these guys, some of them, since they were 8, 9 years old. And now that they're 17, 18 19, I knew it was coming and I had a great feeling.
"But it's a hard game. It's a hard game, and luckily we played the best as anybody this weekend. We're going to soak it in, we're going to enjoy every single bit of it. Holy cow, I can't wait. I can't wait."
When Hust says his team played the best of anyone in the tournament, it's not hyperbole. The Scarlets did lose their opener — a 1-0 defeat to Fort Collins, Colo. — but were rock-solid throughout, especially in the field.
Defensively, the Scarlets did not commit an error in six games and across 44 innings. Their team ERA was a meager 1.64. In particular, Jakob Wilcox was lights out on Sunday, throwing 7 2/3 shutout innings combined in both games.
Third baseman Nate McDonald was named tournament MVP after hitting over .400 for the tournament, but he was not alone. On Sunday, timely hits from others like Cody Collis, Nolan Berkram, Chase Wise and Wilcox proved crucial in key moments.
"I'm so happy for these kids," Hust said. "I'm just elated. It's all about them. It's always been about them, and all the guys that have played in this program. Everybody has been a part of this. This is absolutely amazing."
Northrop, meanwhile, was grateful to have the blessing of Washington State to compete at the regional tournament. Now, with the start of the Legion World Series looming on Thursday, Northrop anticipates having another conversation with his people in the Palouse.
"I'll have to call them about being gone for another week," he said with a laugh. "But my mentality all week has been that every win is another day I don't have to do my own laundry."
2024 Class AA Northwest Regional tournament
at Pirtz Field and Dehler Park, Billings
Wednesday, Aug. 7
Game 1: Eugene, Ore., 3, Cheyenne, Wyo., 2
Game 2: Anchorage, Alaska, 8, Pocatello, Idaho, 5
Game 3: Bellevue, Wash., 3, Missoula 0
Game 4: Fort Collins, Colo., 1, Billings Scarlets 0
Thursday, Aug. 8
Game 5: Cheyenne, Wyo., 8, Missoula 2, loser out
Game 6: Billings Scarlets 8, Pocatello, Idaho, 0, loser out
Game 7: Eugene, Ore., 9, Bellevue, Wash., 4, second round
Game 8: Anchorage, Alaska, 6, Fort Collins, Colo., 3, second round
Friday, Aug. 9
Game 9: Billings Scarlets 7, Bellevue, Wash., 2, loser out
Game 10: Fort Collins, Colo., 8, Cheyenne, Wyo., 5, loser out
Game 11: Eugene, Ore., 17, Anchorage, Alaska, 7, undefeated semifinal
Saturday, Aug. 10
Game 12: Billings Scarlets 12, Anchorage, Alaska, 1, loser out
Game 13: Eugene, Ore., 2, Fort Collins, Colo., 1 (8 innings), loser out
Sunday, Aug. 11
Game 14: Billings Scarlets 5, Eugene, Ore., 4 (9 innings), first championship
Game 15: Billings Scarlets 7, Eugene, Ore., 0, second championship
