Bravettes settle for split in softball
One thing is sure.
The Flathead Bravette softball team can definitely hit the ball.
The Bravettes racked up 16 hits on Tuesday to earn a Western AA doubleheader split.
Flathead defeated Missoula Big Sky 2-1, but fell 21-1 to Missoula Sentinel in the nightcap at the Conrad Complex.
"We worked really hard in the offseason on our hitting and we really saw it today," said Flathead coach Tim Severson.
"I was really excited for the girls that we hit the ball a lot better than we have and they worked hard. I think we're going to keep working hard and improving."
Sophomore pitcher Sidney Alberts hit two doubles and held Big Sky scoreless through six innings to help lift the Bravettes.
As for the Sentinel game, the final score would make it appear to be a game Flathead might want to forget.
But even then, the Flathead offense was solid. The Bravettes registered 10 hits, left the bases loaded in both the first two innings and kept the game close through three innings.
It wasn't until the fourth that the wheels came off.
Sentinel's first two batters got aboard on the errors, the third smacked a double down the third base line and the next three walked.
All in all in that inning - eight runs on two hits, four walks, two errors, two hit batsmen, two strikeouts and a groundout.
"When you play good teams ... if you give them extra outs ... we made some mental and some physical errors today. If we get those cleaned up, we competed well with them. But you make those errors, it's tough to compete against good teams," Severson said.
"We are right there," he said.
"We went 1-1 today, so we feel really good about beating Big Sky," he said.
"We're there. We still can get a lot better, but huge improvment since last year. We really worked hard in the offseason and we're going to continue to get better," Severson said.
"We worked really hard in the offseason on our hitting and we really saw it today. I don't remember the last time we had 10 hits," he said.
"I'm just really excited. The girls are really jelling as a team and sticking together. When there is a mistake, they are quick to forget about it and move on," he added.
Flathead plays host Friday in a nonconference doubleheader to Northwestern A Whitefish.
Sentinel 203 88 - 21 11 0
Flathead 100 00 - 1 10 4
Mandy Jackson and Riliey Cullip. Sidney Alberts, Alisha Lingle (4), Elaina Gordon (5) and Jesse Erickson. W - Jackson. L - Alberts.
Sentinel - Ramsie Burrington 3-4, Jamie Jo Kallis 1-3, Katie Focher 3-4, Riliey Cullip 1-2, Lexi Miller 1-1, Nikki Anderson 2-3, Mandy Jackson 0-5, Katie Hiett 0-3, Breezi Cuffe 1-3.
2B - Focher. RBI - Burrington 1, Kallis 2, Focher 3, Cullip 2, Miller 3, Anderson 2, Jackson 1, Hiett 1, Cuffe 2.
Flathead - Alisha Lingle 0-3, Sidney Alberts 2-3, Alexa Mrgich 2-3, Elaina Gordon 1-3, Jesse Erickson 2-3, Christyne Hanson 1-3, Meghan Bousrassa 0-3, Cherise Stivers 1-1, Julia Morrow 1-2.
RBI - Hanson.
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Big Sky 000 000 1 - 1 7 0
Flathead 200 000 x - 2 6 3
Big Sky battery not available. Sidney Alberts and Jesse Erickson. W - Alberts. L - Big Sky.
Big Sky - Kaisha Hollenback 2-4, Bre Clifford 0-4, Baylie Frost 0-3, Jessie Schafer 1-4, Andie Walt 1-3, Allie Allen 0-1, Kelsey Lucostic 1-4, Kayla Weishaar 0-3, Dani Baker 2-3, Shannon O'Rielly 0-3.
2B - Hollenback.
Flathead - Alisha Lingle 1-3, Sidney Alberts 2-3, Alexa Mrgich 0-3, Adrienne Carroll 1-2, Jesse Erickson 1-3, Christyne Hanson 0-2, Elaina Gordon 0-1, Cherise Stivers 0-2, Julia Morrow 1-2.
2B - Alberts 2.