In light of this weekend's state softball tournaments here in Great Falls, I've decided to preview the Class AA by issuing my predictions. As you may know, CMR has been a powerhouse across the state over the past decade. Between 1997-2001, the Lady Rustlers won a state record, 5 consecutive state championships. This past year, CMR reclaimed the title for the sixth time in their school history, which ranks only second to Billings Senior, who has won eight.

The Favorite: I think it's safe to say that CMR is the favorite once again this year. Despite seeing their four year run as Eastern AA Conference champions come to an end, the Lady Rustlers have one advantage on their side that no other team shares: home field. CMR will get to play each game in front of their entire fan base, which can make a difference even in softball. The Lady Rustlers also have the state's most potent offense who can score at will. In their final six games, the club scored 76 runs while holding their opponents to just 9. From top to bottom, their lineup is lethal. They also have a solid pitching staff which includes Kira Bigler and Brittany Allen which composes a nice 1-2 punch. And don't forget about their sophomore, Ashley Keeler, who was untouchable in the team's second crosstown game. The team has hit their stride at just the right time, and if they can continue their momentum through the state tournament, they should have no problems in winning their seventh state championship.

Don't Count Out: Billings West and Helena Capital are respectable considerations in this category. West beat out CMR for the Eastern AA's conference crown, and defeated the Lady Rustlers in two of their three meetings this year including an 8-0 shutout right here in the Electric City. Meanwhile, Capital garnered the Western AA's top seed for the second consecutive year. They are also all too familiar with CMR who beat the Lady Bengals in last year's state championship game, 15-8. Capital has reached the championship series of the state tournament in three of the last four years, a feat no other AA team has done. However, in order to reach the state championship series, they'll most likely have to go thru CMR in the semifinals.

The Dark Horse: Helena High is a very dangerous team. In order to reach the state tournament, they were forced to win the final two games of a best of three series with Flathead this past week, which ended on an emotional walk-off home run by Ashten Colvin in the bottom of the 8th inning of game 3. The Lady Bengals have about as much momentum as any of the other seven teams heading into the state tournament. Look for them to ride their starting pitcher, Josie Grotbo, who is one of the best in the state this year. She's coming off an 18 inning, 30 strikeout performance against Flathead. Helena's greatest nemesis will be getting past the first round. They have a very tough test against CMR. If the Lady Bengals do prevail, it should set up a very interesting matchup against their crosstown rival, Capital, whom they split their regular season series with this year.

Statisticians Beware!

Sometimes in television, we don't get enough time to run every story, which is why I guess I set up a blog in order to write down my thoughts and provide some of you with stories you don't hear about every day.

This past week in baseball, the Cleveland Indians' pitching staff has been unbelievable. In their seven game homestand, their entire staff combined has allowed just 4 runs in 64 innings. Those of you trying to do the math, that's 1 run every 16 innings. What's even more impressive is that their starting pitching staff pitched 44 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing a run until that streak came to an end on Thursday when their starter, Aaron Laffey made a poor throw to first on a ground ball which resulted in an unearned run. Laffey went on to shut out the Oakland A's hitters before his relief gave up a meaningless run in the top of the 9th. The Indians' starting staff is now at 50 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run, while they finished their seven game homestand with a stifling ERA of 0.16! And after all of that, the club finished their homestand with a 6-1 record. Their only loss came this past Monday when their closer, Rafael Betancourt gave up 3 runs in the top of the 10th inning after their starter, Cliff Lee, pitched nine scoreless innings. We shall see in the coming days if Cleveland's starting pitching staff is able to continue their dominance on the mound.

A History Of Violence

In light of this past weekend's tragedy at Churchill Downs, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss the rare calamities in sports. If you're not aware by now of the story, last Saturday during the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby, the filly known as Eight Belles was euthanized on the track immediately following the race. As the horse crossed the finish line at full speed, her jockey, Gabriel Saez, used his whip in order to slow down the filly as he feared her momentum would carry her into the outside barrier of the track. However, Saez' action forced Eight Belles to immediately pull up by using her front legs as a break, and in that instant, the filly broke both of her ankles. The horse never made it off the track alive, as she had to be put to sleep by trainers after finishing second in the annual Run for the Roses.

Since then, animal rights activists from organizations such as PETA and the U.S. Humane Society have been protesting for change in the sport, including banning the use of a whip as well as instituting a minimum age requirement for race horses to four years old.

While I agree that it was a tragic event, we must move on. This is nothing new in the horse racing industry. In fact, this past year here in Great Falls I watched a horse be euthanized on the ExpoPark's racetrack right before my very eyes after it broke one of its legs. While it's a sad reality, it is part of the sport. Sure, there are rules and regulations that have been institutionalized within the sport to provide race horses with protection. However, there are freak accidents.

Take football for example. Over the past decade, there have been numerous accounts of high school and collegiate athletes who have died due to dehydration as well as an excessive amount of exposure to heat. Since then, the NCAA as well as state high school athletic governing bodies have imposed additional rules allowing for players to receive more water breaks during practices. They've also regulated the number of practices and hours each team is allowed per week. However, these accidental fatalities still occur.

These accidents happen in every sport. This past year, a hockey player almost died after his throat was sliced open by one of his teammate's skate during an NHL game. The gash was measured up to an inch and a half deep calling for immediate medical attention. By the time Richard Zednik had arrived at the hospital, he had already lost five pints of blood. Luckily, Zednik is alive today.

The list goes on. Buffalo Bills tight end, Kevin Everett, was nearly paralyzed after sustaining a fracture and dislocation of his cervical spine during the NFL's opening weekend this past season when Everett lowered his head to make a tackle on a kickoff. Everett spent the next several days on a respirator before he was able to regain voluntary movement in his arms and legs. Today, he is able to walk on his own again.

In 2001, former NASCAR driver, Dale Earnhardt died after crashing into wall while rounding turn 3 of the final lap of the Daytona 500. Earnhardt had become the fourth fatality amongst NASCAR drivers during a nine month span. Since then, the sport has instituted new rules in order to protect drivers.

Sports aren't always safe. Tragedies and even fatalities of animals and even humans may occur. It's the risk one takes when driving a race car over 200 miles per hour around a two mile track amongst fourty other cars. It's realistic to assume that injuries will occur when two human bodies amassing 250 pounds collide at full speed, even with padding. And if you push horses to their maximum performance enough times, sooner or later, one will take a bad step and break its limb. While there are rules that are applied to protect athletes and animals within each sport, they can't prevent all injuries from occuring. And while this past weekend's accident was a tragedy, it also serves as a reminder. Sports are a source of entertainment, but they can also be very dangerous.

Sportsmanship Matters!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. And in this case, a picture is all that captured one of the greatest acts of sportsmanship of all time.

The average life for a college graduate is four years. And they fly by quickly. Especially, if you're a student athlete. And for Mallory Holtman, a senior on the Central Washington University softball team, her time is running out. This past Saturday, Holtman dressed up in her home white uniform for the last time in her collegiate career as her team prepared to face off against Western Oregon in a doubleheader on Senior Day.

At 13-5, Western Oregon entered the weekend on top of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings with a one game lead over Central Washington (12-6) heading into a crucial conference doubleheader against the Wildcats. A sweep by either team would give them a commanding lead in the conference with just four games remaining.

The Wolves unloaded their offense in the first contest, compiling 10 hits and 8 runs to defeat CWU 8-1. Which meant, the Wildcats needed a win in the second game in order to remain in the hunt for a regular season GNAC championship.

With the score all knotted at 0-0 in the top of the 2nd, Western Oregon's senior outfielder Sara Tucholsky came through for the Wolves with her biggest hit of her life. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Tucholsky drilled a pitch well over the centerfield wall for her first home run of her career. In fact, Tucholsky had never hit a home run in either high school or college until Saturday. However, being caught up in the moment while rounding first base, Tucholsky realized something was wrong. She forgot to touch the bag. NCAA rules enforces that a player must touch every base along the diamond in order for a run to count. But as Tucholsky changed directions to make her way back to first, she felt her right knee crumble beneath her as she fell to the ground in pain. The senior had torn her ACL.

The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is one of four major ligaments located in the medial part of the knee connecting the femur to the tibia. And if the ligament is torn, it can hinder one's ability to run, and possibly, even walk. In Tucholsky's case, she could do neither as she layed by the 1st base bag inable to move.

Tucholsky's teammates had already rounded the bases, recording two runs for Western Oregon. But the third could not be counted unless their senior was able to follow them across home plate. Umpires had given the team the option to replace Tucholsky, however, the team would have to forfeit her run by sending a pinch runner to 1st base. And any contact as an active baserunner by her teammates would result in an out. That's when sportsmanship intervened.

As a senior on the Wildcats softball team, Mallory Holtman owns nearly every offensive record at the school. She's accumulated more hits, runs, RBI's and home runs than any other player in Central Washington history. And playing in her final home game of her collegiate career, one that could help her reach the postseason for the first time in her four years at CWU, Holtman's selfless attitude put all of that aside.

The first baseman from White Salmon, Washington and her teammate, Liz Wallace, a junior from Florence, Montana, lifted their opponent, Tucholsky, and carried her on their shoulders around the bases and across home plate. Western Oregon would go on to win the game, 4-2, taking a three game lead over Central Washington in the conference standings, and all but ended the hopes of a postseason birth for the Wildcats.

Whether you're a student, or an athlete, four years in college can seem like a blur. But for seniors Mallory Holtman and Sara Tucholsky and junior Liz Wallace, their college careers were clearly defined last Saturday. And their legacy has been captured thanks to that one picture which expresses their spectacular moment of sporstmanship. I guess it's true what they say, a picture is worth a thousand words!