Columbia Falls Baseball Aims to Defend North Conference Title

The Wildcats' veteran squad hopes to build on last year's success and make a deep playoff run.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 10:20pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a high school baseball game, with sharp, overlapping planes of green, white, and black colors representing the Columbia Falls Wildcats' uniforms.The Columbia Falls Wildcats' veteran squad hopes to build on last year's conference title success through their strong team chemistry and mental toughness.Columbia Falls Today

The Columbia Falls baseball team, which formed its program just four years ago when the sport became sanctioned in Montana, is looking to build on last season's success as the top seed in the North Conference. Led by veteran players like shortstop Nico Young and pitcher Jett Pitts, the Wildcats have been excelling at putting the ball in play and creating opportunities for their opponents to make plays. Despite some early close matchups, the team has recently started scoring more runs in their wins, and they believe their strong team chemistry and brotherhood will carry them to the state tournament this year.

Why it matters

The Columbia Falls baseball program is a relative newcomer to the Montana high school sports landscape, having formed just four years ago. Their ability to quickly establish themselves as a top contender in their conference speaks to the strength of their player development and team culture, which could serve as a model for other new programs looking to build a winning tradition.

The details

The Wildcats began their season playing close matchups with their opponents but have recently started scoring a lot of runs in their wins. Shortstop Nico Young credits the team's ability to put the ball in play and avoid strikeouts as a key strength, while pitcher Jett Pitts emphasizes the importance of the team's strong chemistry and brotherhood in keeping each other confident and focused during the grind of the season.

  • The Columbia Falls baseball program was formed in 2023 when the sport became sanctioned in Montana.
  • Last season, the Wildcats were the top seed in the North Conference.

The players

Nico Young

The Wildcats' starting shortstop, who believes the team's ability to put the ball in play and make the opposing team make plays is a key strength.

Jett Pitts

A pitcher for the Wildcats, who emphasizes the importance of the team's strong chemistry and brotherhood in keeping each other confident and focused during the season.

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What they’re saying

“I think our biggest strength right now is putting the ball in play. We don't have very many strikeouts. We have a lot of guys making stuff happen. We make the other team make plays. We can work on our defense, but we strive in putting the ball in play, hitting the ball a lot.”

— Nico Young, Shortstop

“If one of us gets down, we've got to pick each other up. Baseball's 90% mental, and if you're not there all the way mental, then it's a pretty hard game to play, and I think our biggest strength is for sure our brotherhood inside the games.”

— Jett Pitts, Pitcher

What’s next

The Wildcats will look to continue their strong play and secure a spot in the state tournament, where they hope to make a deep playoff run and compete for a championship.

The takeaway

The Columbia Falls baseball team's rapid rise to the top of their conference, despite being a relatively new program, demonstrates the power of strong player development, team chemistry, and a winning culture. Their success could inspire other Montana high schools to invest in their baseball programs and build lasting traditions.