Bravettes roll past Bulldogs
Whitefish short stop Madison Tveidt makes the catch at second to tag out a Flathead runner during their game on Friday afternoon in Kalispell.
Just over three innings of work amounted to seven strikeouts, two hits and one walk for Flathead sophomore pitcher Sidney Alberts on Friday.
Alberts also hit one of Flathead's three doubles on the day as she and the rest of the Bravettes dispatched Northwestern A Whitefish 16-6 in a nonconference softball game at the Conrad Complex.
Cassidy Smith and Alexa Mrgich also hit doubles for Flathead.
Flathead scored nine runs in the first inning - off one hit, nine walks and three hit batsmen - and then stretched that lead to 12-0 before Whitefish rallied for six runs in the fourth.
"We jumped out, their pitcher struggled a little bit, but she finally found a groove. Then we decided to bring a lot of young players in, get them some opportunities at the varsity level," said Flathead coach Tim Severson.
"Cassi Smith came up and crushed one - I thought she was going to hit it out," Severson said.
"Sidney Alberts, when she was in, pitched very well - and she's continuing to hit the ball very well for us. I'm just real excited the way the girls are playing together. They're having a lot of fun. Hopefully that continues," he added.
For Whitefish, right now it's about growing pains and gaining some experience.
"It would be pretty easy for them to stay down. We're down 12-0, but they still kept trying," said Whitefish coach Alan Compton of the Bulldogs.
"The pitching will come around, but it's definitely baby steps for us," he said.
"Madi Cross did a great job behind the plate. She's got to work her tail off. But when we get our chances on defense, we've got to make plays," he said.
"I'm proud of them for not hanging their heads. It's a big learning curve right now. We have a lot of young girls and new pitching.
"But they still kept good spirits and they still kept trying. As long as they keep trying ... it'll come."
Whitefish did bounce back in the fourth when Flathead made a pitching change. The Bulldogs scored six runs off two hits - including a double by Baylee Tveidt and a triple by Emily Stiver.
Overall, Tveidt was 2-for-3 with the double and two RBI and Stiver was 1-for-3 with a triple and an RBI.
That brought the score to 12-6.
Flathead added three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Alberts put the Bulldogs down in order in the fifth and the Bravettes got the one run they needed for the 10-run rule when Ariel Williams walked to leadoff the inning. She stole both second and third and scored on Mrgich's double down the left field line.
Whitefish (0-3, 0-2) plays host to Libby at noon today while Flathead plays host to Helena Capital and Helena High at noon and 2 p.m.
Whitefish 000 60 - 6 4 3
Flathead 930 31 - 16 3 2
Baylee Tveidt and Madison Cross. Sidney Alberts, Alisha Lingle (3), Alberts (3) and Jesse Erickson, Kaylee Henderson (3).
Whitefish - Emma Baldonado 1-3, Hanna Lewis 0-1, Madison Tveidt 0-2, Baylee Tveidt 2-3, Emily Stiver 1-3, Kaia Morrison 0-3, Madison Cross 0-2, Andrea Lamourex 0-3, Jessica Vail 0-2.
3B - Stivers. 2B - B. Tveidt. RBI - Madison Tveidt 1, Stivers 1, Baylee Tveidt 2.
Flathead - Julia Morrow 0-0, Cassidy Smith 1-2, Sidney Alberts 1-1, Alisha Lingle 0-1, Shayla Tweet 1-1, Jesse Erickson 0-0, Kaylee Henderson 0-1, Elaina Gordon 0-0, Adrienne Carroll 0-1, Christyne Hanson 0-1, Ariel Williams 0-1, Alexa Mrgich 1-3, Meghan Bourassa 0-0, McKenzie Twichel 0-1, Cherise Stivers 0-1, Iris Matulevich 0-0.
2B - Smith, Alberts, Mrgich. RBI - Smith 1, Alberts 1, Mrgich 1.