Bravettes turn the tables on the Bulldogs

The last time the Flathead Bravettes played a doubleheader against Butte, the Bulldogs won by a combined 23 runs.

Oh, what a difference three weeks makes.

The Bravettes, who have won seven of the last eight, beat Butte twice on Saturday, 6-0, 6-1, at the Conrad Complex.

"Everybody played well," Flathead coach Dale Beerman said. "I can't say enough about (the girls). They are playing well together."

Pitcher Brianna Compton put together a solid outing at the mound, throwing 10 strikeouts in the first game and allowing just three hits.

"After what happened last time - she comes back and throws a three-hitter, that's pretty good," Beerman said. "She was in the zone."

But the Bravettes were more than just Compton. Strong infield play, a multitude of hits and few errors helped Flathead turn the tide.

Then again, it may have been the "magic stick."

A few weeks ago, a group of Flathead players found a stick in a tree, and the stick somehow made it into the bat bag, and the Bravettes went on a winning tear.

When Beerman grabbed the stick at practice last week to hit balls, his team chided him and made him put the stick back in the bag.

"I guess they're as superstitious as anybody else," Beerman said.

For the second game, a nonconference contest, Beerman changed his lineup a bit. Courtney Sverdrup came in to pitch, and she only gave up four hits and one run.

"She does a good job," Beerman said. "When I get a chance to throw her, I do."

Butte came into the day 6-2 in conference play, and the Bulldogs beat a talented Helena Capital team twice. But Flathead's turnaround has sparked new life into the team and put them in the mix with the Western AA playoffs just nine days away.

Flathead now stands at 6-5 in conference action and hosts Missoula Big Sky on Thursday for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.

BRAVETTES 6, BULLDOGS 0

Butte 000 000 0 - 0 2 0

Flathead 101 220 0 - 6 12 2

Darcy Powers and Ali Stosich. Brianna Compton and Julie Robertson. W - Compton. L - Powers.

Butte - Savanna Maldonado 0-3, Meaghan Randall 1-3, Ali Stosich 0-3, Micaul Bosch 0-3, Rebecca Loberg 0-2, Brianna Shaffer 0-3, Amy Sullivan 0-2, Megan Holland 1-1, McKensie Dallaserra 0-2.

Flathead - Heather Haegele 2-4, Brianna Compton 0-4, Christina Zorn 2-4, Liz Dwyer 2-4, Spencyr Schmaltz 2-4, Julie Robertson 1-4, Lindsay Ingram 1-1, Brittney Nelson 0-2, Courtney Sverdrup 2-2.

2B - None. 3B - None. RBI - Haegele 2, Dwyer, Sverdrup.

BRAVETTES 6, BULLDOGS 1

Butte 000 010 0 - 1 4 2

Flathead 100 032 6 - 6 6 2

Marianne Leathers and Ali Stosich. Courtney Sverdrup and Kourtney Corpron. W - Sverdrup. L - Leathers.

Butte - Savanna Maldonado 2-4, Miranda Hackman 2-3, Ali Stosich 0-3, Micaul Bosch 0-2, Rebecca Loberg 0-3, Brianna Shaffer 0-3, Megan Holland 0-3, Marianne Leathers 0-3, McKensie Dallaserra 0-2, Meaghan Randall 0-1.

Flathead - Kourtney Corpron 1-3, Catie Costa 1-2, Christina Zorn 2-3, Liz Dwyer 0-1, Kalin Lingle 0-0, Spencyr Schmatlz 1-3, Brittney Nelson 0-1, Jamie Graham 1-2, Hannah Vanek 0-3, Leslie Quay 0-3, Courtney Sverdrup 0-3.

2B - Maldonado. RBI - Corpron 2, Costa, Schmaltz.