Bozeman, Mont. — The Gallatin Raptors are headed into the state tournament after a strong first season that made them one of the top teams in Class AA baseball.

Gallatin went unbeaten for most of the season until the final week, when Bozeman handed the Raptors their first loss. The team then turned its focus to how it would respond before postseason play.

Raptors head coach Johnny Graham said the next practice gave him a clear answer.

“I wanted to see what our response would be the next day in practice. It was fantastic. Again, it was a high focus practice, high energy practice,” said Graham. That told me that again, I thought we had their attention and belief when we saw that, if they were locked on results, that would have been kind of a slower practice, maybe less focused and instead it was just come to work and load the wagons, as we say,” Graham said.

Senior shortstop Louis Musial said the loss did not change the team’s approach.

“Nothing was changed, you know, because, I mean, first loss of the season, like, it happens. It’s a game of failure. So just go out, keep doing what we do. Count on process over results and really loading the wagons and just working as hard as we can to get better every day and play the game,” Musial said.

Graham also pointed to Musial as one of the team’s bright spots this season as Gallatin won 16 games. He said Musial’s focus stayed on the group and that his work started well before the season began.

“You know, I think it’s about team success and team wins. The two of us started getting together way back in the fall. He’s a hungry guy. He’s a blue collar guy. He works hard. He’s a team guy. Phenomenal leader, big time energy. And when you do things right daily, people get rewarded. And he’s been rewarded with a really nice season,” Graham said.

Musial is part of what the Raptors call the Founding Five, the five seniors on this year’s team. He said his goal was to set an example for younger players as the program gets started.

“You know, my my biggest thing this year was just leaving impact on all the underclassmen. I’m someone who people gravitate towards, and I can leave a impact positively or negatively, and I really get to dictate that. So, you know, just showing the boys that if you go out, compete, play as hard as you can that we’ll be looking at the peak at the end of the year,” Musial said.

The Raptors are set to begin state tournament play Thursday against Butte, with first pitch scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Click here for more details on the Class AA state baseball tournament.