C-Falls 10 runs Whitefish

Wildkats blow open 3-0 game with 8 late runs

WHITEFISH - Thursday's high school softball game was just what the doctor ordered for Columbia Falls and a rude awakening from spring break for Whitefish.

Columbia Falls picked up nine hits, stole eight bases and committed just one error while Whitefish suffered through seven errors in the Wildkats' 11-1 six-inning Western A victory at the Rollie and Heide Smith Youth Sports Complex.

The game, under pleasant spring skies, was shortened by the 10-run mercy rule.

It served as the perfect rebound for the Wildkats, who were picked to contend for the conference title and proved their worth by beating conference-favorite Libby to open the season, after losing to Eureka in extra innings Tuesday. Now they host Polson, the other conference favorite, today at 3:30 p.m.

"It was a rough go Tuesday," Columbia Falls all-state third baseman Vanesha Riley said. "I don't know what was going on that last game. But this game we were on top of it and timed the pitches way better. We made contact, which had to be done in order for them to make mistakes and for us to get on base. It's definitely what we needed to get back at it."

Riley, the Wildkats' No. 3 hitter, went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two stolen bases to lead the way. All-conference sophomore Kayla Stinger, the No. 5 hitter, and freshman Drew Walter, the No. 6 hitter, each went 2-for-3. Stinger had two RBIs and two stolen bases and Walter picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly. Leadoff hitter Amanda Milliard, a sophomore all-conference shortstop, went 1-for-3, but scored three runs and stole two bases.

The victory improved the Wildkats to 2-1 in conference and overall.

"We did a nice job at the plate and had great base running," C-Falls coach Dave Kehr said. "We ran the bases well. We just wanted to get on and run a little bit and look to hit. We put the bat on the ball and were just looking to run. Just be aggressive and put pressure on the defense to make plays."

Senior pitcher Jenni Johnson spread four hits and three walks over six innings of work and struck out six to pick up her first victory of the season.

"She did OK," Kehr said. "She had some times when she didn't hit the locations we needed, but she battled back to strike some key batters out. She threw a couple nice change-ups. But there were a little too many walks. I don't know what was going on with that. She had four against Eureka and then four (including a hit batter on a 3-1 pitch) here - she averaged a little under three per game last year. She'll come around, though. She's great to work with."

Riley praised the defensive effort.

"The defense was really on top of it," Riley said. "Everyone was on this game compared to the last game."

As lopsided as the score ended, the game was anybody's until the final two innings.

Milliard led off the game with a line-drive single into left field, stole second and then came around to score when No. 2 batter Brittany White's fly ball to center field was dropped. White ended up scoring on a double steal that Whitefish could have had a double play on.

"We had her dead to rights going to second and then we had her dead to rights coming home," Whitefish coach David Dachs said. "That's a play that would have gotten us out of the inning with no runs. But we couldn't make the throw to second and we couldn't make the catch at home."

But the scoring for the Wildkats stopped there in the first. They got another unearned run in the fourth before three straight walks to lead off the fifth inning bit the Bulldogs for good.

"We had some errors, which hurt bad, but their first three runs were unearned and the next three can be attributed to three straight walks," Dachs said. "We just have to work on eliminating those errors. But we were playing right with them until the last couple innings."

The Bulldogs stranded seven runners on base, including three in scoring position in the final two innings, but had three runners thrown out trying to advance to third base. Senior center fielder Robin Cross had the only RBI for the Bulldogs with a bases-loaded ground ball into right field.

It was the errors that killed Whitefish.

"I can accept one or two errors a game, but I can't accept how many we had in this one," Dachs said. "Spring break … I hate the dang thing. We had at least four of our main girls gone and at this level you just don't have the depth that's needed to make up for those things. We just put ourselves in a hole. I can't blame the girls. I've got to figure something out. It's on me."

Kilani Morris started in the circle for the Bulldogs and pitched three innings with a cold. She allowed five hits with no earned runs and no walks. Torey Ost pitched the final three innings, allowing five walks and four hits while striking out two. Only three of the eight runs scored against her were earned.

The Bulldogs (0-3 in conference and overall) are back in action Tuesday at home against Class B-C Thompson Falls.

C. Falls 200 135 x - 11 9 1

Whitefish 000 010 x - 1 4 7

Jenni Johnson and Amber James. Kilani Morris, Torey Ost (4) and Desiree Clark. W - Johnson (1-1). L - Morris (0-1).

COLUMBIA FALLS (2-1, 2-1) - Amanda Milliard 1-3, Brittany White 0-3, Vanesha Riley 3-3, James 0-2, Kayla Stinger 2-3, Drew Walter 2-3, Lindsay Nelson 0-4, Cedar Smith 1-3, Tia Yeager 0-3.

WHITEFISH (0-3, 0-3) - Morris 1-3, Robin Cross 1-3, Devyn Ost 0-3, Clarke 0-2, Maude Gwiazdon 0-2, Shaundra Savage 1-2, Shannon Holmes 0-1, Lexi Day 0-1, Camille Williams 1-2, Nicole Schelling 0-1, T. Ost 0-2.

RBIs - CF 1 (Cross), Wf. 7 (Riley 3, Stinger 2, James, Walter). Extra-base hits - none. SB - CF 8 (Milliard 2, Riley 2, Stinger 2, White, James), Wf. 0. SAC - CF 2 (Walter, James), Wf. 0.