For the first time since 2004, both local softball teams will be competing in the Class AA state softball tournament.

Capital High enters the tournament in Great Falls as the No. 1 seed out of the West, having won the conference championship out-right, with a 10-2 league record. The Bruins are 11-6-1 overall.

Helena High, which placed third in the Western AA with a 6-4 mark, had a little tougher time getting there. The Bengals had to win a best-of-three playoff against Flathead to qualify, which they did in dramatic fashion, on a walk-off home run by senior Ashten Colvin in the eighth inning of the third game. HHS finished the season 10-10-1.

Veteran Capital coach Mike Miller has guided his Bruin softball teams to one of the Class AA’s most successful records of the decade. Over the last six years, Miller owns a 96-43-1 record, or a .690 winning percentage. CHS has appeared in the state championship game three of the last four years, winning the title in 2004, and taking runner-up in 2005 and 2007.

The potent Capital offense possesses six .300 hitters, led by a pair who are batting over the .400 mark. Ashley Ames, a senior, is high with a lofty .473 average, followed by junior shortstop Kelsi Brekke, at .455.

Ames is also one of the club’s pitchers, owning a 4-3 record. She sports a 2.02 earned run average with 51 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched.

Brekke, a two-time all-conference selection, leads the team in at least eight offensive categories; 25 hits, 18 runs batted in, 25 runs, six doubles, three home runs, two triples, a .527 on base percentage and an .800 slugging percentage. In 66 at bats, she has struck out only twice.

“I strongly believe that Kelsi is the best shortstop in the state,” said Miller.

Pitcher/third baseman Halie Hash, the No. 2 hitter in the lineup, is batting .400, with 11 sacrifice bunts. Catcher Kalli Heller posted a .392 mark, with six extra base hits and 22 runs scored. Jacie Vonada batted .373, producing six extra base hits and 15 RBI. Vonada — who hit a home run in the season’s last series in Billings — has not committed an error all year in centerfield.

Senior first baseman Jordyn Gillespie knocked the ball at a .352 clip, while swinging one of the best sticks in the clutch for the Bruins.

Rounding out the starters are Megan Graff and senior Kelly Petrusha (who share time in left field), Devin McNellis at second base, and Ashley Blanton in right. Miller said that he may use a designated hitter at times, and switch around the second and third basemen.

Capital takes on Billings Senior today at 4 p.m., with Ashley Ames starting on the bump for the Bruins. The Broncs are the No. 4 seed out of the East.

“Our goal at state has always been to get to the trophy round on Saturday, so we can’t look past anyone,” the CHS coach said. “We’ll need to play a complete game, get consistency up and down the lineup, and have everybody get key hits for us.”

Helena High coach John Hawe will be experiencing his first state tournament in four years. The last time the Bengals went to state, their current seniors were in the eighth grade.

“I’ll tell you what, I’ve been anticipating this thing so much, I wish we could play it right now,” an anxious Hawe said during an interview on Tuesday.

Helena will meet C.M. Russell today at 4 p.m. The Rustlers are the No. 2 seed from the Eastern Division. The two teams met about a month ago, with CMR prevailing 10-4.

“CMR is the defending state champion,” explained the Bengals’ skipper. “They’re not quite as dominating as they were last year, but they’ll be on their home field, so it’s going to be quite a challenge for us. Our keys to winning are pretty basic — solid pitching, backed by sound defense, and putting some runs on the board.”

HHS has displayed some character this year in overcoming adversity. The Bengals started the season at 0-5-1, before putting together a streak where they won 7-of-8 games.

One of the main reasons for their success is the steady defensive play of the infield. Seniors Carmon Cole (third base), Sarah Jackson (first base) and Sarah Sesselman (catcher), junior Noelle Perez (second base), and freshman Sydney Carpenter (shortstop), performed almost flawlessly under pressure during the playoff last week.

Senior pitcher Josie Grotbo leads the team in hitting at an even .400 batting average. As the ace of the pitching staff, she has achieved six double-digit strikeout games, twice fanning 14. Others batting over .300 are senior centerfielder Carly Grant, Perez and Sesselman.

Cole and Carpenter are hitting respectively about .290 and .270.

Grant leads the team with 30 base hits, which ranks fourth on HHS’ all-time list. Her seven doubles tied a school record, established by Cyndie Lockett in 1992. Sesselman belted four home runs to pace the squad —just one short of Tamara Rogers’ record of five taters, set in 1997. Perez stroked the most triples this year, with three.

The RBI leaders are Sesselman, Grotbo, Cole, Carpenter, and right fielder Ashten Colvin. Senior left fielder Brit Mayer completes the starting lineup.

“I think it’s a wide open field up there,” Hawe said of the state tourney. “The way we’ve been playing lately, I think we have just as good a chance (to win it) as anybody else.”

Reporter Curt Synness: phone 449-2150 or email curt52s@bresnan.net