C-Falls crushes Whitefish

The Daily Inter Lake

COLUMBIA FALLS - For openers, it doesn't get much better than this for Columbia Falls.

The Wildkats scored 10 runs in the first inning, finished with 13 hits and blanked Whitefish 12-0 Thursday in Western A softball play.

"A great way to start the season," Columbia Falls coach Dave Kehr said.

"I got three pitchers in. The girls hit the ball well - really well."

Columbia Falls banged out eight hits in the first inning and sent 16 batters to the plate. Amber James, Kayla Stinger and Amanda Milliard all doubled, while Drew Walter banged out a triple.

"That was a big inning for us," Kehr said.

"We had four hits right in a row."

Tia Yager led the Wildkat hit parade, going 3-for-3 and doubling twice. Renae Nelson, Milliard, James, Walter and Stinger had two hits apiece.

Milliard finished with three RBIs.

Devyn Ost went 2-for-2 and doubled twice for Whitefish.

Columbia Falls plays at Libby today, 6 p.m. Whitefish travels to Havre on Saturday for a doubleheader starting at noon.

Whitefish 000 00 - 0 4 3

Columbia Falls (10)11 00 - 12 13 1

Carolyn Sharpe and Hailey Mortensen; Amanda Milliard, Drew Walter (3), Jessica Owens (5) and Amber James. W - Milliard (1-0). L - Sharpe (0-1).

Whitefish (0-2) - Adele FauntLeRoy 1-2, Desiree Clarke 0-2, Shelbi Long 0-2, Shannon Holmes 0-2, Mortensen 0-2, Taylor Ybarra-Brunty 1-2, Devyn Ost 2-2, Sharpe 0-1, Camille Williams 0-1, Nicole Schelling 0-2.

Columbia Falls (1-0) - Renae Nelson 2-3, Michonne Cronquist 0-1, Tia Yager 3-3, Milliard 2-4, James 2-4, Walter 2-3, Kayla Stinger 2-3, Brittany White 0-3, Lindsey Nelson 0-1, Cedar Smith 0-2.

2B-Ost (2); Yager (2), Milliard, James, Stinger; 3B-Walter; RBIs-R. Nelson (2), Yager, Milliard (3), James (2), Walter, Stinger, Smith.