Small ball, errors help Glacier rally past Libby, 8-2

The Glacier strategy on Friday was to put the ball in play — and let the chips fall where they may.

The plan worked.

The chips dropped in favor of the Glacier Wolfpack (4-7 Western AA, 6-11 overall) as it downed Northwestern A Libby 8-2 in nonconference softball action at Kidsport Complex.

“We hit the ball. We got base runners. We played the short game and let them commit the errors,” said Glacier coach Joel Bemis.

It took awhile, though, as the teams were tied at 0-0 going into the fourth inning. Up until that point, Glacier had stranded one runner on third base, while the furthest Libby had advanced was second base.

It was starting to look like a one- or two-run game.

“What we kept telling the girls ... all we need to do is get a base runner. Somebody find a way to get on base,” Bemis said.

But it was Libby catcher Lexi Hageness who found a way first — she led off the fourth inning with a first-pitch home run to left field.

The Loggers added a second run when right fielder Rebecca Kyriss got aboard on an error, then scored on Dalyn Germany’s single.

But the Wolfpack got a double play when the next batter flew out to right and Germany was caught off the bag.

The Wolfpack bounced right back in its half of the inning.

Libby got a strikeout to start the inning. But then the Wolfpack started to hit the ball and the Loggers started to throw it around.

All in all, four Wolfpack hits and three Libby errors in that inning amounted to five runs for Glacier.

“I thought our girls responded well. It really showed their toughness to answer (the Libby half of the inning),” Bemis said.

“To beat a Libby team is good for us. They’re always solid. It was good for us to be able to get that win.”

Libby coach Dean Thompson took the loss in stride.

“What can you say? They had a couple good hits and we had a couple errors that cost a few runs,” Thompson said.

“They played some small ball on us and got a few runs,” he added.

“We didn’t run the bases a little bit. We had a chance of maybe scoring another one or two, but that’s softball. We’re a young team and we’re learning — and we’re coming,” he said.

“It was putting the ball in play, aggressive base running and having some things go our way,” Bemis said.

“It was a good team win. Every game we’ve won, we’ve won as a team. It was a great overall effort from every girl.”

Both coaches complimented their pitchers.

Shayna Atlee threw the first four innings for Glacier, then Jena Willis finished up from there.

Willis faced nine batters and had five strikeouts in three innings.

“That was a heckuva of an effort, after Shayna had done a nice job,” Bemis said.

“Hannah did a great job,” Thompson said of Libby starter Hannah England. Alyssa Walker relieved her in the sixth.

“And our outfield played great. We made some catches in the outfield ... they could have had a couple more (runs). We robbed them of a few,” Thompson said.

Libby 000 200 0 — 2 5 5

Glacier 000 521 x — 8 9 2

Hannah England, Alyssa Walker (6) and Lexi Hageness. Shayna Atlee, Jena Willis (5) and Hannah Atlee. W — Atlee. L — England.

Libby — Alyssa Walker 0-3, Mahalah Wedel 2-3, Kim Tangen 0-3, Lexi Hageness 1-3, Rebecca Kyriss 0-3, Dayln Germany 2-3, Hailley Moe 0-3, Kelsey Klin 0-3, Hannah England 0-2.

HR — Hageness. RBI — Hageness 1, Germany 1.

Glacier — Jena Willis 2-4, Kallie Evans 0-4, Katie McHugh 1-4, Shayna Atlee 1-3, Hannah Atlee 0-3, Marissa Rogozynski 3-3, Katie Russell 2-3, Taylor Riggles 0-3, Cassidy Mann 0-2.

2B — Willis, Rogozynski. RBI — Willis, McHugh, Rogozynski 2, Russell 2, Riggles 1.