Wildkats rally past Havre, twice, in softball

COLUMBIA FALLS — You have to hand it to the Columbia Falls softball team.

It’s finding ways to win games.

The Wildkats (5-1) rallied twice in both games of Saturday’s nonconference doubleheader with Havre. They bounced back from a one-run deficit to claim the first game, 5-1, then dug themselves out of six-run hole to win the second game, 10-6.

“We’ve have to clean some things up. That’s without a doubt,” said Columbia Falls coach Dave Kehr.

“It’s just little things. We’ve talked about it all week. We have to run the bases a little harder, don’t assume things are going to be outs. We just have to clean some things up.

“But I was really thrilled to see them come back and win the game. Seven errors, down six runs and we came back and won the game. That’s what counts,” he said.

Shaun Rowe had a stellar afternoon. She was 2-for-3 with a triple, a double and two RBI in the first game, then followed that with a 2-for-2 showing with a 2-run home run in the second game. She also picked up the second game victory in the circle.

“She’s a heckuva ballplayer,” Kehr said of Rowe.

“I don’t know what (teams) pitch to her. I think it’s a challenge. But she’s see one and she’ll hit it,” he smiled.

Kehr also complimented Catie King on her performance.

“Catie pitched really well,” he said.

King pitched three innings on the day — and gave up no hits.

She finished the first game out, then started the second game.

The second game got off to a rough start, though, as the Wildkats committed several errors behind her.

Five of those were in the second inning as the Blue Ponies racked up six runs.

Rowe entered the game in the third and settled things down right away, striking out three of the five batters she faced.

The Columbia Falls bats came alive in the fourth.

Madison Sandefer led off a series of singles for the Wildkats. Three runs were in by the time Rowe stepped to the plate in the pitcher’s No. 9 slot. With Ciarra Holm on first base, Rowe blasted the first pitch she saw over the fence in center field — a no-doubter.

By the time all was said and done in the inning, Columbia Falls had 10 runs and eight hits, including the homer and a 3-run double by Sandefer.

Columbia Falls 5, Havre 1

Havre 100 000 0 — 1 0 1

Columbia Falls 001 040 x — 5 3 2

Rachel Majers and Mary Lyons. Ashley Trueblood, Catie King (7) and Erika Nelson, Kathrin Jetty (5). W — Trueblood. L — Majers.

Havre — Michaela Boles 0-3, Harlee Boucher 0-2, Davee McLeod 0-3, Mary Lyons 0-3, Paige Henderson 0-3, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 0-2, Rachel Majers 0-1, Masha Barnekoff 0-1, Lexy Olson 0-2.

Columbia Falls — Tiffany Hummer 0-2, Jaylynn Cantu 1-2, Shaun Rowe 2-3, Niki Birky 0-2, Winter Kemppainen 0-1, Madison Sandefer 1-3, Erika Nelson 0-2, Kathrin Jetty 0-0, Catie King 1-2, Jordan LeFebvre 0-1.

3B — Rowe. 2B — Rowe. RBI — Rowe 2.

Columbia Falls 10, Havre 6

Havre 060 000 0 — 6 1 2

Columbia Falls 000 100 x — 10 10 7

Davee McLeod and Mary Lyons. Catie King, Shaun Rowe (3), Winter Kemppainen (6) and Erika Nelson. W — Rowe. L — McLeod.

Havre — Boles 0-4, Boucher 0-4, McLeod 0-3, Lyons 0-3, Henderson 0-4, Mazurkiewicz 0-3, Olson 0-4, Barnekoff 1-3.

Columbia Falls — Hummer 2-4, Tori Price 0-2, Cantu 0-3, Birky 1-3, Sandefer 2-4, Nelson 1-4, Jetty 2-3, LeFebvre 0-4, Ciarra Holm 1-4, Rowe 2-2, King 0-1.

HR — Rowe. 2B — Sandefer. RBI — Rowe 2, Sandefer 3, Nelson 1, Jetty 1, Holm 1.