Polson sinks Glacier in softball opener

The Daily Inter Lake

POLSON - Class A's defending champion gave Class AA's newest member a cold welcome.

With snow on the field and temperatures in the 30s, the Polson High School softball team beat Glacier 13-3 on Thursday in the nonconference opener for both squads.

The Pirates scored 10 runs in the first inning, and third baseman Sarah Newton ended the game in the fifth with a long two-run homer to left-center.

"We were like thoroughbreds at the starting gate, anxious to get going," Polson coach Larry Smith said. "And, boy, once we got it going, we really opened it up in the first inning.

"But I really give Glacier's players a lot of credit. They could have folded there after the first inning."

Glacier helped Polson's cause with some early errors, but the Wolfpack played solid ball the rest of the way.

The Pirates finished with 12 hits, including two apiece by Maggie Gordon and Caitlyn Vasser. Gordon smacked a pair of doubles.

Wolfpack right fielder Megan Connolly went 2-for-3 with two doubles, and Taylor Albright went 2-for-3 as Glacier tallied eight hits.

"Shivering jitters is what it was," Glacier coach Joel Bemis said of the Wolfpack's rough start. "I was real proud of the way our girls came out after the first inning and settled down."

Dakota Peterson pitched all five innings for the win, getting Polson rolling in its first game since last year's state championship victory over Frenchtown.

"I'm definitely very satisfied because we're quite green ourselves," Smith said. "We lost seven great players last year, so we have a lot of shoes to feel."

The Wolfpack heads to Great Falls on Saturday where it will play four one-hour games in a jamboree.

"Not one of them had any varsity experience, so it was good for them to get it," Bemis said. "And I guess the good thing was we were going against the best.

"Some people make a big deal about A and AA, and I don't. Those guys could play in our conference and be very competitive."

The Pirates host Ronan today at 5 p.m.

Glacier 002 01 - 3 8 4

Polson (10)00 12 - 13 12 2

Jesse Compton and Brittany Franklin. Dakota Peterson and Caitlyn Vasser. W - Peterson (1-0). L - Compton (0-1).

GLACIER (0-1) - Brittney Brown 0-2, Zoey Pettit 0-2, Megan Connolly 2-3, Lindsey Hoffenbacker 1-2, Franklin 0-3, Abby Connolly 0-1, Sabrina Kenfield 0-2, Taylor Albright 2-3, Kristen Storle 2-3, Compton 1-3.

POLSON (1-0) - Staci Benson 1-3, Maggie Gordon 2-4, Sarah Newton 1-3, Amanda James 1-2, Vasser 2-3, Rochelle Woods 1-3, Charlee Jensen 1-3, Peterson 1-3, Liz Simshaw 1-2, SuSan Perez-Tenas 1-1.

RBIs - Gla. 3 (Franklin, Hoffenbacker, Albright), Pol. 9 (Newton 2, Vasser 2, Woods, Benson, Gordon, Jensen, Perez-Tenas). HR - Gla. 0, Pol. 1 (Newton). 2B - Gla. 4 (M. Connolly 2, Hoffenbacker, Albright), Pol. 3 (Gordon 2, Benson). SAC - Gla. 1 (Pettit), Pol. 2 (Woods, Peterson). SB - Gla. 0, Pol. 1 (Woods).