Duford's arm, Benson's bat power Polson

by The Daily Inter Lake
| April 16, 2010 2:00 AM

POLSON — Freshman Shay Duford struck out eight Hamilton batters, gave up four hits and walked two as the Polson Pirates overcame six errors to defeat the visiting Broncs 6-1 in a nonconference softball matchup on Thursday.

Senior shortstop Staci Benson was 2-for-4 with a triple on the day.

“I thought pitching was great,” said Polson coach Larry Smith.

“(Duford) really did well with all those errors,” he said.

The Pirates (3-0, 1-0) were up 2-1 going to the bottom of the fifth inning.

Benson led off with the triple. Junior Kodi Woods, 2-for-4, bunted to score Benson. Polson picked up two more runs on three singles to finish the Broncs.

The Pirates are at Ronan on Tuesday.

Hamilton 000 010 0 — 1 4 2

Polson 101 030 x — 6 9 6

Jessica Bourne and Presley Chadwick. Shay Duford and Kayla Duford. W — Duford (3-0). L — Bourne.

Hamilton — Melissa Hood 1-4, Kaylie Strandberg 1-4, Nichole Hood 1-4, Annie Schultz 1-4, Elizabeth Taylor 0-4, Chadwick 0-4, Mikhala Wilson 0-3, Kailee Bergren 0-2, J. Bourne 0-3.

Polson — Staci Benson 2-4, Kodi Woods 2-3, Kayla Duford 1-3, Riley Kenney 0-2, Makaliah Wilson 1-3, Ashley Johnson 1-3, Kylie Knutson 1-3, Colleen Jacobson 1-3, Shay Duford 0-2.

3B — Benson

RBIs: Woods 1, Kenney 2, Johnson 2.

Columbia Falls 9, Eureka 0

EUREKA — Morgan Rowe threw a two-hit shutout and the Columbia Falls Wildkats turned in an impressive win over Eureka in nonconference action.

Renae and Erica Nelson each had two hits and the Wildkats put together a seven-run third inning. Catcher Erica Nelson had the lone extra base hit of the game with a double.

Columbia Falls also scored once in the first and fifth innings.

“Morgan pitched very well. She looked very comfortable on the mound and kept (Eureka) off balance very well,” Columbia Falls head coach Dave Kehr said.

Shaun Rowe and Tessa Cowan each had a hit for Columbia Falls (1-1).

“If we can just get our bats going we’ll be OK, but until we turn that corner it’s going to be pretty rough,” Eureka head coach Tom Shay said.

Eureka’s Natasha Gray and Krista Salyer managed the only two hits off Columbia Falls’ ace.

The Lions (0-5) play two conference double-headers on Saturday against Plains and Thompson Falls.

Columbia Falls hosts Havre in a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 11 a.m.

Columbia Falls 107 010 0 — 9 6 1

Eureka 000 000 0 — 0 2 6

Morgan Rowe and Erica Nelson. Jacquelin Lemer, Mikayla Newman (6) and Cassidy Morgan.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Niki Birky 0-4, Renae Nelson 2-5, Shaun Rowe 1-4, Cassidee Skiles 0-4, Michonne Cronquist 0-3, Morgan Rowe 0-4, Erica Nelson 2-4, Tessa Cowan 1-2, Madison Sandefer 0-3.

EUREKA — Morgan 0-3, Lemer 0-3, Rosie Sieler 0-3, Steph Vogelman 0-3, Natasha Gray 1-3, Alaina Peacock 0-2, Brooke Williams 0-2, Krista Salyer 1-2, Newman 0-2.

2B — E. Nelson; RBI — NA.