Polson unbeaten in state softball

MILES CITY - It took the Polson Pirates a few innings to get going in Friday afternoon's Class A state softball quarterfinal.

But when they did, they served notice to Billings Central and everybody else at the tournament - the Pirate offense racked up 14 hits en route to an 8-4 victory and a spot in today's semifinal.

The tournament is down to the final four - Polson (19-4) , Frenchtown (22-2), Belgrade and Billings Central.

Columbia Falls and Libby both battled to a pair of victories Friday, but came up just short in the late games. The Wildkats (17-6) defeated Butte Central 5-1 and Anaconda 12-2, but lost 5-1 to Belgrade. Libby (17-10) defeated Lewistown 3-2 and Hardin 6-0, but lost 4-3 in eight innings to Belgrade.

Polson and Frenchtown play at 9 a.m. today in the championship bracket while Belgrade and Billings Central square off in the consolation.

The first championship is set for 1 p.m. A second championship, if needed, would be at 3 p.m.

"Kayla Duford had a wonderful game," said Polson coach Larry Smith of Friday's contest.

The senior catcher was 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run, a double and three RBI.

It was Central that drew first blood, though, as it scored in the bottom of the second to take an early 1-0 lead.

That seemed to galvanize the Pirates, who responded with a run in the top of the third, then tacked on two more in each of the next two innings.

"They just seemed like - ‘we got to get something going' and they just seemed to start getting it together," Smith said.

By the time the last two innings rolled around, all the Pirates were getting hits.

Freshman Jessica Bagnell pinch hit and got a two-run homer.

Now comes a tough one - and a chance at revenge.

The Broncs are one Polson's four losses this season. They defeated Polson 5-2 on April 19 in Frenchtown.

"They're a very good hitting team and they've got a great pitcher. It's going to come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes," Smith said.

"I think we're just playing better. We've been playing very well down the stretch, we have more confidence and more kids involved," he said.

Polson 001 223 0 - 8 14 1

Central 010 300 0 - 4 9 2

Shalaina Duford and Kayla Duford; Sarah Stringari and Taryn Francischetti. W - Duford. L - Stringari.

Polson - Kodi Woods 2-4, Ashley Johnson 2-5, Shalaina Duford 2-4, Sallie Sams 0-4, Kayla Duford 4-4, Kylie Knutson 0-3, Heidi Rausch 0-2, Makaliah Wilson 2-4, Martina Marquardt 1-3, Jessica Bagnell 1-1, Stephanie Angle 0-1, Colleen Jacobson 0-1. 2B: Johnson, K. Duford, Wilson. HR: K. Duford, Bagnell. RBIs: Johnson, K. Duford 3, Wilson 2, Bagnell 2.

Billings Central - Ashley MacDonald 1-4, Sarah Stringari 2-4, Michela Jacobson 2-4, Sarah Shaw 0-4, Guinevere Ayers 1-3, Alexa Rockwell 0-2, Amanda Tryan 1-2, Jacey Menter 1-2, Chere Anderson 1-2, Taryn Francischetti 0-0. 2B: Stringari, Ayers. RBIs: MacDonald, Menter, Anderson.

Columbia Falls 5, Butte Central 1

Niki Birky hit a three-run home run to cap a four-run seventh inning for the Columbia Falls Wildkats as they defeated Butte Central in loser-out action.

The Wildkats racked up 12 hits and played flawless defense in the victory.

Shaun Rowe was 4-for-4 with a triple and an RBI and Birky was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Also hitting well for the Wildkats were Madison Sandefer, 2-for-4 with a home run and Erika Nelson, 2-for-4.

Columbia Falls 000 100 4 - 5 12 0

Butte Central 000 010 0 - 1 5 1

Jessica Owens and Erika Nelson; Quinn Peoples and Katie Hogart. W - Owens. L - Peoples (9-3).

COLUMBIA FALLS - Renae Nelson 0-4, Jessica Owens 1-4, Shaun Rowe 4-4, Niki Birky 2-3, Jorden Lefebvre 1-4, Madison Sandefer 2-4, Erika Nelson 2-4, Jaylynn Cantu 0-2, Ciarra Holm 0-2.

BUTTE CENTRAL (16-7) - Hogart 0-4, Danika Neumann 0-3, Angela Piazzola 2-3, Peoples 0-2, McKenzie Doherty 0-3, Shannon McLaughlin 0-3, Breanne Krzan 0-2, Taylure Svejkovsky 2-3, Carlee Norbeck 1-3.

HR - Birky, Sandefer, Svejkovsky. 3B - Rowe. 2B - Norbeck. RBIs - Birky 3, Rowe, Sandefer; Svejkovsky.

Columbia Falls 12, Anaconda 2, 5 innings

The Wildcats scored four runs in each of the first two innings and rolled from there, defeating Anaconda 12-2 in five innings to advance.

Madison Sandefer hit a grand slam in the second inning.

Anaconda 000 02 - 2 6 3

Columbia Falls 441 3x - 12 11 1

B. Chapman and Moodry; Owens, Rowe (4) and E. Nelson. W - Owens. L - Chapman.

ANACONDA (12-13) - Moodry 2-3, King 0-3, B. Chapman 2-3, Julia Peterson 0-0, Bolton 0-3, Stanberry 1-2, Jense 0-1, Forkin 0-2, Brunell 1-2, Sara Schaefer 0-2.

COLUMBIA FALLS (17-5) - Owens 2-3, Jaylynn Cantu 1-1, R. Nelson 2-4, Rowe 1-2, Birky 1-2, Lafebvre 1-1, Sandefer 1-3, E. Nelson 1-1, Kathrin Jetty 1-1, Holm 0-3, Tessa Cowan 0-3.

HR - Sandefer. 2B - Rowe, Lafebvre; Moodry, Brunell. RBIs - Sandefer 4, Birky 2, Cantu, E. Nelson; Moodry, Chapman.

Libby 3, Lewistown 2

The Loggers scored in the bottom of the seventh to earn a victory over Lewistown in loser-out play.

Taylor Armstrong gave up six hits and the Logger defense was strong behind her as it committed just one error.

Lewistown 100 000 1 - 2 6 6

Libby 020 000 1 - 3 6 1

WP - Taylor Armstrong. LP - A. Gordon.

Individual statistics were not available.

Libby 6, Hardin 0

Libby scored four runs in the third inning, then tacked on two more for good measure in the fifth as it shut out the Hardin Bulldogs.

Jaime Gilden was 3-for-4 and Lexie Hageness was 2-for-4 to lead the Loggers.

Libby 004 020 0 - 6 9 1

Hardin 000 000 0 - 0 3 0

Taylor Armstrong and Lexie Hageness. Jessica Campbell and Alice Ann Sloan.

Libby - Jaime Gilden 3-4, Lexie Hageness 2-4, Kim Tangen 1-4, Alysha Martin 1-4, Taylor Barton 0-4, Taylor Armstrong 1-3, Brooklyn Rosling 0-3, Stacey Odewaldt 1-3, Alyssa Walter 1-3, Harley Nelson 0-0.

Hardin - Autumn Blakely 1-2, Ashley Watson 1-2, Jessica Campbell 0-3, Alice Ann Sloan 0-3, Mallory Edgar 0-3, Kaley Krebs 1-3, Jordan Edwards 0-2, Tori Snyder 0-2, Jestin Murphy 0-2.

Belgrade 5,

Columbia Falls 1

Belgrade had seven hits and scored five runs in the final three innings as it survived to play another day.

Columbia Falls 000 000 1 - 1 5 4

Belgrade 000 131 x - 5 7 1

Jessica Owens and Erika Nelson. Ali Cygan and Melissa Bell. W - Cygan. L - Owens.

Columbia Falls - Jessica Owens 1-3, Renae Nelson 1-3, Shaun Rowe 0-3, Niki Birky 1-3, Jorden Lefebvre 1-3, Madison Sandefer 0-3, Erika Nelson 1-3, Jaylynn Cantu 0-3, Tessa Cowan 0-2.

Belgrade - Morgan Wandler 1-4, Justine Taylor 2-3, Melissa Bell 0-2, Alison Cygan 1-3, Nicole DeHaan 0-3, Dorvall 0-2, T. Hill 2-3, T. Johnson 0-2, J. Severson 0-0, Tara Lanzendorf 1-3.

Billings Central 4, Libby 3, 8 innings

The Loggers scored three runs in the first inning, but Billings Central tied the game in the fourth, then scored in the bottom of the seventh to pull it out.

Jaime Gilden and Alysha Martin had two hits apiece for Libby. The Loggers had eight for the game.

Libby 300 000 00 - 3 8 0

Bil. Central 000 300 01 - 4 8 1

WP - Sarah Stringari. LP - Stacey Oedewaldt.

Libby - Jaime Gilden 2-4, Kim Tangen 1-4, Alysha Martin 2-4, Taylor Armstrong 1-4, Brooke Rosling 1-4, Alyssa Walker 1-3.

Billings Central - Alexa Rockwell 2-3, Taryn Francischetti 1-2. 3B: Francischetti. RBIs: Rockwell 2, Francischetti 2.