Hellgate hammers Flathead in playoff softball

The Daily Inter Lake

MISSOULA - Softball season is over for the Flathead Bravettes.

The Bravettes lost two games in a playoff series to Western AA second place team Missoula Hellgate on Friday. Scores were 11-1 and 9-2.

The Bravettes had just two hits in the five-inning first game - by senior Meagan Hash and sophomore Alisha Lingle. Hash doubled.

Flathead had four hits in the second game. Kendra Bennett was 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI. Megan Olszewski had one hit, as did Casey Roylston.

Hellgate put up 12 hits in the second game and scored five runs in the second inning. The Bravettes got both of their runs in the bottom of the seventh.

"We came out and battled today," FHS coach Tim Severson said. "Things didn't go our way, but we'll learn from it and get better next year."

Severson said Lingle, who cracked a bone in her wrist two weeks ago, turned in a gutsy effort.

"She stuck it out and played hurt," he said. "She was swinging one-handed. I have a lot of respect for her."

Missoula Hellgate 11, Flathead 1

Flathead 001 00 - 1 2 3

Hellgate 400 34 - 11 5 1

Meagan Hash, Elaina Gordon (4) and Megan Olszewski. DJ Johnson and Jessa Ouellette. W - Jonson . L - Hash.

FLATHEAD (2-19) - Hash 1-2, Alisha Lingle 1-2, Kendra Bennett 0-2, Olszewski 0-2, Kassie Martin 0-2, Brenna Palmer 0-1, Emily Jones 0-1, Casey Roylston 0-2, Cherise Stivers 0-2, Chrystine Hanson 0-2.

HELLGATE (18-5) - Bonni Shaffer 0-1, Jordan Nelson 1-1, Ouellette 0-4, Danni Johnston 1-3, Mary Yoder 1-3, Johnson 0-1, Leyna Downey 1-2, Sarah Hendricks 0-1, Beth McNeil 1-3.

2B - Hash. RBIs - Lingle, Nelson 2, Ouellette 2, Yoder, Downey 2, McNeil 2.

Missoula Hellgate 9, Flathead 2

Hellgate 050 100 3 - 9 12 1

Flathead 000 000 2 - 2 4 2

Johnson and Ouellette. Hash and Olszewski. W - Johnson. L - Hash.

HELLGATE - Shaffer 1-5, Nelson 2-4, Ouellette 1-4, Johnston 1-2, Yoder 1-3, Johnson 2-3, Downey 1-4, Hendricks 1-2, McNeil 2-3.

FLATHEAD - Hash 0-4, Lingle 0-3, Bennett 2-2, Palmer 0-2, Jones 0-1, Martin 0-3, Olszewski 1-2, Roylston 1-3, Alexa Mrgich 0-3, Hanson 0-3.

2B - Bennett, Roylston, Shaffer, Downey. RBIs - Roylston, Shaffer, Nelson 2, Ouellette, Johnson, Downey, McNeil 2.

AA Playoff Scores

Western

Thursday

At Helena

Helena High 9, Missoula Sentinel 0

MIssoula Sentinel 5, Helena High 4

Helena High 11, Sentinel 5

At Missoula

Glacier 18, Missoula Big Sky 3

Glacier 12, Missoula Big Sky 4

Eastern

At Billings

Billings Skyview 10, Bozeman 0

Billings Skyview 5, Bozeman 2

Friday

Eastern

At Great Falls

Great Falls 8, C.M. Russell 4

C.M. Russell 6, Great Falls 5

C.M. Russell 7, Great Falls 6

At Billings

West 8, Senior 7

Senior 5, West 4

West 7, Senior 6