Sweep sends Glacier to state
Brittany Franklin (left) pushes her way through her huddled teammates as she crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of Tuesday’s Western AA play-in game against Flathead at Kidsports Complex.
Glacier's Anna Costa (9) hits a single during the first inning of the game against Flathead on Tuesday in Kalispell.
Flathead pitcher Sidney Alberts lays down a bunt during the second half of the game against Glacier on Tuesday afternoon.
The second item on Glacier’s wish list for the softball season is now checked off.
The next thing the Wolfpack will try to deal with is winning a game at state.
Glacier advanced to the upcoming Class AA state tournament on Tuesday by sweeping Flathead in state play-in games.
The Wolfpack, seeded No. 2 in Western AA, blanked Flathead, the seventh seed, 8-0 and 4-0 at Kidsports Complex.
It marked the sixth time the two rivals met this season with Glacier winning all six.
The Wolfpack (18-3 overall) has now beaten Flathead (3-17) 12 straight times since the crosstown series began in 2008. Glacier owns the series 12-1.
“They say it’s hard to beat a team three times in a season, to do it six times is even tougher,” Glacier coach Joel Bemis said.
“I think it’s a credit to our girls the way they stayed focused (in this series). You have to stay grounded. It’s easy to get distracted and caught up in the crosstown.”
Glacier made a statement early, taking a 2-0 lead on the bat of Brittany Franklin in the first inning of the first game.
Franklin homered with one runner on to right field.
It was her fourth round-tripper of the season.
“She’s a power hitter,” Bemis said.
“The last two homers she’s hit were to opposite fields. That shows her discipline and patience at the plate. She gets better all the time.”
That lead also helped Glacier relax just a little bit.
“Any time you play with a lead there is a little less pressure,” Bemis said.
“There was more pressure on us (for the play-in) because we were expected to win. They showed a lot of poise and played pretty well under pressure.”
Glacier put that game out of reach with a four-run third inning. Glacier’s first four batters reached, in order, on an error, walk, hit by pitch and another error. The Wolfpack had just one hit in that inning, a two RBI single by Zoey Pettit.
Kendra Bouley went the distance in the circle, holding Flathead to four singles. She also struck out three.
In the decisive second game, Glacier finally put a run on the board in the third inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Brittany Franklin hit a grounder to third. Flathead went to first base for the out, allowing pinch runner Cassidy Mann to score from third.
On the same play, Glacier’s Anna Costa crossed home plate all the way from second base, but that run was negated on a runner interference call on Franklin at first base to end the inning.
Both teams turned dandy double plays in the fourth inning. Flathead second baseman Cherise Stivers made a shoestring catch on an infield popup on her way to the circle and then fired the ball to first to catch a Wolfpack runner, who has headed for second.
Wolfpack second baseman Lyndsey Hoffenbacker handled a crisp shot off the bat of Alexa Mrgich, tagged out the runner moving to second and threw to first for the second out.
Glacier capitalized on a game-changing break in the the sixth inning to put the finale away. With two outs and runners at second and third, Flathead committed a throwing error on what should have been a routine infield out. That allowed two runs to score. Sabrina Kenfield drove in the final run with an RBI single.
“It was very tight,” Bemis said of the nightcap.
“To go up 4-0, that gave us enough breathing room to relax and finish the game.”
Bouley held Flathead to five singles in seven innings and struck out nine. She retired the side in the second and fifth innings on strikeouts with a Flathead runner at third both times.
“What we ask her (Bouley) to do is bear down and stay mental,” Bemis said.
“She knows if she gives up a hit, she has a pretty good defense behind her. She was able to stay in there and throw strikes.
“That’s what I like about the girls — they don’t panic,” Bemis added.
“They stay steady and do what it takes to win.”
This marks the second straight year Glacier advances to state. The Wolfpack upset Missoula Big Sky on the road last year to qualify in two play-in games.
“We’re just excited to be going to state,” Bemis said.
“Hopefully we can go there and win some games and compete. And try to keep checking things off the check list.”
Glacier opens state play next Thursday in Helena at 2 p.m. versus the No. 3 seed from Eastern AA.
Game 2
Glacier 4, Flathead 0
Glacier 001 003 0 — 4 5 1
Flathead 000 000 0 — 0 4 2
Kendra Bouley and Brittany Franklin; Sidney Alberts and Jessie Erickson.
W—Bouley; L—Alberts.
GLACIER — Anna Costa 0-2, Baylee Quay 1-3, Brittany Franklin 2-3, Lyndsey Hoffenbacker 1-3, Abby Connolly 0-3, Sabrina Kenfield 1-3, Zoey Pettit 0-3, Bryttani Knopp 0-3, Bouley 0-2.
FLATHEAD — Kassi Martin 1-3, Casey Roylston 0-3, Alisha Lingle 1-3, Alexa Mrgich 0-3, Aubrey Montayne 1-3, Alberts 0-2, Christyne Hanson 1-3, Cherise Stivers 0-1, MacKenzie Twitchel 0-1, Taylor Twitchel 0-1, Ariel Samuels-Williams 0-1.
RBIs—Kenfield, Connolly (2).
Game 1
Glacier 8, Flathead 0
Flathead 000 000 0 — 0 4 3
Glacier 204 101 x — 8 8 0
Alberts and Erickson; Bouley and Franklin; W—Bouley; L—Alberts.
FLATHEAD — Martin 0-3, Roylston 1-3, Lingle 1-3, Mrgich 0-3, Karlee Stacy 0-2, Meghan Bourassa 0-1, Alberts 0-1, M. Twitchel 1-2, Hanson 1-3, Montayne 0-3.
GLACIER — Costa 2-4, Quay 1-3, Franklin 2-3, Hoffenbacker 0-2, Connolly 0-4, Kenfield 0-3, Pettit 1-3, Knopp 0-2, Bouley 2-3.
2B—Costa; HR—Franklin; RBIs—Franklin (2), Hoffenbacker, Kenfield, Pettit (2), Knopp.