Hot, cold bats give Glacier a split in softball

Chilly, blustery and rainy weather didn't slow the bats at Kidsport Complex on Saturday afternoon.

Glacier catcher Brittany Franklin was 3-for-5 on the day, smacked a home run and a double and batted in two runs to help the Wolfpack split with the Helena schools.

Glacier (2-6) defeated Helena High 2-0, but fell 18-9 to Helena Capital.

For the Wolfpack, the bats were both hero and villain.

Glacier had seven hits, including some very timely shots in the fifth inning to defeat Helena High, then started hot and ran cold against Capital.

Defensively, the Wolfpack effort was stellar in the first game, according to coach Joel Bemis.

"I was real pleased with the way we played. Outstanding effort by Paige Latimer. She had six putouts ... six balls to her that she was able to scoop up. She was really solid," the coach said.

Pitcher Jessie Compton recorded seven strikeouts in that game.

"She threw the ball well. She kept the Bengal hitters off balance and did a real nice job," the coach said.

Baylee Quay and Shayna Atlee each batted in a run that game - Atlee's hit was a double to deep right center.

Bemis complimented Quay and Franklin for their efforts on the day.

"They're working real hard, doing their best to keep us in games," he said.

It looked like Glacier might keep the momentum going in the second game.

It scored six first-inning runs on three hits and three walks against the Bruins.

"We competed for awhile. We hung right in there. Then our bats went cold and in this game, we've got to hit every inning. The way this game is now, we are going to have to play offense," Bemis said of the Wolfpack effort against Capital.

Unfortunately for Glacier, the Bruins scored two in the first, five in the second, one in the third - and really rolled in the fourth.

Capital scored nine runs on nine hits with two Glacier errors in that inning.

Glacier got the first Bruin batter to ground out to third base, but then gave up six straight hits, including a triple, to take a 13-7 lead. Glacier didn't get the second out until Capital had batted all the way around.

By the end of the inning, Capital was up 17-7.

"I thought Jessie (Compton) did a good job hanging in there and we scored a couple of runs at the end. We battled, but it was tough. (The Bruins) were hitting the ball, hitting gaps," he said.

"We did come back and score a couple runs at the end, but they hit the ball well. They did some good things. Capital is a much-improved team from last year," Bemis said.

"It was good to get a split."

Capital left Kalispell with a happy bus on Saturday - the Bruins were 0-5 coming into the day, but got into the win column with a sweep of Glacier and Flathead.

The Wolfpack goes to Hellgate on Thursday.

Glacier 2, Helena High 0

Helena 000 000 0 - 0 4 1

Glacier 000 020 x - 2 7 2

Jenna Krum and Kennar Ward. Jessie Compton and Brittany Franklin. W - Compton (2-3). L - Krum.

Helena - Krum 1-3, Sydney Carpenter 0-3, Kwyncee Ward 0-3, Mackenzie Donnelly 2-3, Ricky Nash 0-3, Iken 0-3, Kylie MacDonald 0-3, Kennar Ward 1-3, Kirstie Ward 0-3.

2B - Krum.

Glacier - Jena Willis 0-3, Baylee Quay 2-3, Shayna Atlee 2-3, Brittany Franklin 1-3, Megan Connelly 0-2, Sabrina Kenfield 0-2, Paige Latimer 0-3, Kendra Bouley 2-3, Marysa Rogozynski 0-2.

2B - Atlee, Franklin. RBI - Atlee, Quay.

Capital 251 900 1 - 18 18 2

Glacier 610 101 0 - 9 8 4

Jayden Tripp, Anna Morgan (1), Jessie Apple (4) and Kyra Dorvall. Jena Willis, Jessie Compton (2) and Brittany Franklin. W - Morgan. L - Compton (2-4).  

Helena Capital - Rian Bartsch 1-3, Quinci Robertson 2-5, Jayden Tripp 4-5, Anna Morgan 3-4, Jasyn Mulcahy 2-6, Kyra Dorvall 1-4, Brittany Hogan 0-1, Jordan Johnston 0-5, Haley Pardy 2-4, Jessie Apple 0-1, Savannah Smith 3-4.

3B - Morgan. 2B - Dorvall, Robertson. RBI - Morgan 3, Mulcahy 3, Dorvall 4, Pardy 1, Smith 1, Robertson 2, Tripp 3.

Glacier - Anna Costa 0-4, Shayna Atlee 1-4, Jena Willis 0-4, Brittany Franklin 2-2, Baylee Quay 1-3, Erin Fitzsimmons 0-2, Megan Connolly 2-3, Kendra Bouley 0-4, Paige Latimer 2-4.

HR - Franklin. 2B - Franklin, Connolly. RBI - Franklin 2, Quay 2, Connelly 2, Latimer 1.