Loggers in rally mode at state softball

POLSON - Sara Lawrence's bat gave Libby hope.

Her base running gave the Loggers the victory.

Lawrence doubled to deep center field to open the bottom half of the seventh inning Friday, then scored from third on a close play at the plate as Libby rallied for a 5-4 loser-out victory over defending state champion Polson at the Class A state softball tournament.

It was the third victory on the day for the Loggers, who now must win four times today to claim a state championship.

The other three remaining teams in tournament play are Frenchtown, Laurel and Corvallis.

Frenchtown, which has yet to allow a run, and Laurel are both unbeaten, Corvallis has one loss.

"We just kept coming, just kept coming," said Libby coach Dean Thompson.

"Our girls never let up.

"We had that big inning (fifth) to tie it up. Going into the seventh inning, we were coming up on the top of the order. Our No. 9 hitter (Lawrence) gets a double. Things went our way today."

Lawrence, a junior left fielder, was 1-for-2 when she stepped into the batter's box for a final time.

She had flown out to center in her first at-bat, but singled to center in the fifth.

"You have to get on base," said Lawrence of what Thompson told her before her at-bat.

"I just wanted to hit it, get on base."

Lawrence's shot ignited the Logger dugout. Nicole Rowan followed and promptly walked. Sam Schultz then lifted a pop fly to short center to load the bases.

Teri Rebo, with the bases loaded, hit an infielder bouncer, which resulted in a play at the plate. Lawrence got a good job on the hit and slide safely home.

"Her (Polson catcher Jenni Nesladek) helmet hit my face," said Lawrence of the collision at the plate.

"Other than that, I'm fine."

The win over Polson marked the second time in two games Libby had to overcome a 4-0 deficit on the second day of tournament action. The Loggers spotted Glendive a 4-0 lead before storming back for a 10-5 win.

Rowan started that rally with a grand slam home run in the fourth inning to put Libby in front for good, 7-4.

The Loggers had just a 20-minute break between the Glendive and Polson game, which Lawrence said left everyone "exhausted.

"We picked it up for sure.

"We knew we could come back and win," she said.

"Polson played an awesome game. It could have gone either way."

This marked the third time the two teams have battled this season. Libby took the series 2-1.

Polson's victory came earlier this month in Polson, which gave the Pirates the league championship.

"There was more on the line this time," said Lawrence.

Polson took a 4-0 lead on one big swing of the bat by Strohm Fouty, her first career home run with one aboard in the second inning, and some nifty base running by Fouty in the first inning and Keely Torgison in the third.

Libby was retired 1-2-3 in the first, second and fourth innings before capitalizing on back-to-back fielding errors by Polson in the fifth and then a single to load the bases for Rowan, who walked in a run.

One out later, Rebo tripled to the center field fence to clear the bases and tie the contest at 4-all.

Polson went down in order in the sixth and could must just one base runner in the seventh.

The Pirates left runners stranded at second and third in the fourth inning.

"They broke it open with that one big inning," said Polson coach Larry Smith of the Loggers.

"I kept telling them (Polson players) there is a lot of game left, a lot of game left and there was."

Polson also had trouble capitalizing on scoring opportunities earlier in the day, falling to Frenchtown 4-0.

The Pirates had runners on second and third in the third, fifth and sixth innings and failed to score.

In the sixth with no outs.

"We had our opportunities," said Smith.

"We didn't take advantage of them. They had theirs, and they did."

Frenchtown scored in the fourth inning on back-to-back hits. Katie Engwall's double to left scored pinch runner Noelle Lebsock.

The Broncs added three more runs in the sixth.

"We made big plays, wiggled our way out of trouble," said Frenchtown coach Eli Field.

"The biggest thing, we didn't panic. We stayed confident, played defense like it was meant to be played."

Frenchtown had lost twice previously to Polson.

"We've struggled all year with them," said Field of Polson.

"What we worked on last week was the pressure Polson puts on you. They get a runner on third, start laying down bunts. They don't get outs in those situations. Before you know it, you're down 5-1 and they haven't hit the ball out of the infield."

Libby started the day with a 11 a.m. loser-out contest with Hamilton. The Loggers rolled in that one, 13-6.

Lea Castor started a six-run, fourth-inning rally for the Loggers with a single.

"Things just went from there," said Thompson.

"It was 8-5 after that inning. We scored a few more after that."

In other games Friday, it was: (winners' bracket) Laurel 2, Butte Central 1; (consolation) Belgrade 8, Ronan 1; Corvallis 11, Whitefish 3; Glendive 5, Billings Central 3; Corvallis 2, Belgrade 1; Corvallis 3, Butte Central 0.

Butte Central was last year's state runner-up.