Polson state softball champs

BILLINGS - The road to the state tournament was a little bumpy for the Polson Pirate softball team.

But it was smooth sailing once the Pirates arrived at Stewart Park Softball Complex in Billings.

Polson, 19-6, dropped two league games in the final days of the regular season, but swept the competition at the Class A state tournament.

The Pirates capped a long day Friday by defeating Belgrade 6-3 to claim Polson's fifth Class A state title.

"Everything seemed to come together for us. We just swept right through it. Boy, did they ever do it," marveled Pirate coach Larry Smith.

"I coached (these girls) in 16U last summer. I saw the positives and the great things they could do and what they could accomplish. They were young then and they still didn't back down from anybody," Smith said.

Polson started at 9 a.m. Friday, rallying to beat Billings Central 9-7 in 10 innings, then besting Belgrade 5-1 in the semifinal. The Pirates then had to wait while Belgrade defeated Frenchtown 11-1 in loser-out play.

"Our bats just came alive again (in the championship). We've been hitting anybody and everybody they threw at us," he said.

"My young freshman pitcher was just awesome," Smith said of Shalaina Duford.

"She had a great game both offensively and defensively," he said.

Smith admitted he was concerned Thursday when Montana High School Association officials elected to condense the tournament into two days because of the weather.

Duford has done much of the varsity pitching for the Pirates this spring - they really didn't have a backup.

"She finished so strong. She showed no fatigue whatsoever," the coach said.

Offensively, the hits came from the middle and bottom of the order.

Makaliah Wilson was 2-for-3, Ashley Johnson was 2-for-3, Sallie Sams and Kylie Knutson each had hits.

"The whole bottom of the order did very well for us," Smith said.

Polson 6, Belgrade 3

Polson 020 310 0 - 6 12 0

Belgrade 000 020 1 - 3 9 1

Shalaina Duford and Kayla Duford; Alison Cygan and Melissa Bell. W: S. Duford. L: Cygan.

Polson - Staci Benson 1-4, Kodi Woods 2-3, K. Duford 0-4, Riley Kenney 1-3, S. Duford 1-4, Makaliah Wilson 2-3, Sallie Sams 1-2, Kylie Knutson 1-2, Ashley Johnson 2-3. RBIs - Benson, Knutson.

Belgrade - Justine Taylor 1-4, Bell 1-3, Cygan 1-4, Kasey West 1-4, Kassie Kallestad 1-4, Annie Pirckett 1-3, Alissa Dorvall 1-3, Nicole DeHaan 0-1, Tara Lanzendorf 2-2, Ali Morgan 0-0, Loren Torres 0-2.

2B - Kallestad, Pricett. RBIs - West 2.