Softball roundup: Evertz, Polson edge Broncs

POLSON — The Polson softball team opened its conference schedule with a 7-6 extra-innings win over Frenchtown Thursday.

Jordyn Evertz led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a bunt single and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Sarah Rausch. She stole to third on a double steal after Jaylin Kenney drew a walk and scored on a wild pitch.

“It’s a big boost for us,” Polson coach Larry Smith said. “It’s our rival and we’re two of the better teams in the state in Class A as far as I’m concerned. It was a big psychological booster and hopefully we can come back down to earth quickly, because we go down to Belgrade tomorrow and play some good teams in that tournament over the weekend.”

Jessica Bagnell led Polson (2-0 overall, 1-0 Northwestern A) with three hits in four at bats. Martina Marquardt batted 1-for-4 with a home run.

Holly Jacobs and Morgan Ray each batted 2-for-4 for Frenchtown. Abby Indreland homered.

Polson plays Livingston today at 5 p.m. in Belgrade.

Frenchtown 002 201 10 — 6 6 2

Polson 000 105 01 — 7 10 3

Morgan Ray, Abby Indreland and Larrisa Berg. Shalaina Duford and Jaylin Kenney. W - Duford (2-0). L - Ray.

FRENCHTOWN - Holly Jacobs 2-4, Emma Pyron 0-4, Kayla Blood 1-4, Abby Indreland 1-2, Keegan Wickman 0-4, Morgan Ray 2-4, Vanessa Stavish 0-3, Jasie Anderson 0-4, Larrissa Berg 0-3.

POLSON - Jaylin Kenney 1-1, Shalaina Duford 0-4, Jessica Bagnell 3-4, Martina Marquardt 1-4, Kaelen Wall 1-4, Kyrie Bitterman 0-1, Heidi Rausch 1-3, Jaiden Toth 0-3, Jordyn Evertz 2-3, Skyla Krantz 1-1, Taylor Brackey 0-1, Sarah Rausch 0-0, Jaelyn Ellenwood 0-0.

HR - Indreland; Marquardt. RBIs - Indreland 2, Ray, Anderson; Kenney, Bagnell, Marquardt, Wall.

C.M. Russell 3, Glacier 1

Great Falls 16, Glacier 10

GREAT FALLS — Glacier lost a pair of nonconference games, opening the afternoon with a loss to C.M. Russell and closing with a loss to Great Falls High.

Jena Willis led off with a first-inning home run against CMR, but the Rustlers scored twice in the third and Glacier (1-2) couldn’t push across another run.

“We got some girls on and just weren’t able to score them,” Glacier coach Andy Fors said. “Their pitcher did a nice job keeping us off-balance. We had pretty solid contact but we just hit it right at them. We didn’t find any holes.”

Glacier led Great Falls 10-7 after six and a half innings, but the Bison scored nine runs in the bottom of the frame. Hailey Houck hit a grand slam to give Great Falls a lead and the Bison strung together three consecutive hits to keep the rally going.

“Great Falls from one through nine is a power-hitting team,” Fors said. “It was a great opportunity for us to play them today and get a taste of that competition.”

Houck finished 4-for-5 with seven RBIs.

Glacier’s Kayleena Ikeda batted 3-for-4 with two home runs and Ali Williams went 3-for-4 with one home run.

“It kind of stings to come to Great Falls and be in both games and come up a little bit short,” Fors said. “But to look at it another way, it’s early in the season and I’d say Great Falls and CMR are two of the top teams in the state and it’s good to see that we can compete with them.”

Glacier hosts conference games against Missoula Sentinel and Missoula Big Sky on Tuesday.

Glacier 100 000 0 — 1 6 0

CMR 002 010 X — 3 7 1

Ali Williams and Taylor Riggles. Quinn Hartman and Ericka Lankford. W - Hartman. L - Willis.

GLACIER - Jena Willis 2-3, Kayla Russell 0-3, Marysa Rogozynski 0-3, Kayleena Ikeda 1-3, Tacey Howe 1-3, Katie McHugh 0-2, Ali Williams 0-3, Taylor Riggles 1-3, Anna Jenks 1-3.

CMR - Madi Mahoney 2-3, Kylie Otis 1-3, Quinn Hartman 1-3, Alissa Keeler 1-3, Heather Darby 0-2, Kaydee Parsons 1-3, McCall Enott 0-3, Ericka Lankford 0-3, Jess Della Rossa 1-2.

HR - Willis. RBIs - Willis; Otis, Keeler, Darby.

Glacier 213 031 0 — 10 13 3

Great Falls 310 039 X — 16 16 3

Jena Willis, Ali Williams and Taylor Riggles. Lacey Mertes, Marina Laroque and Markaela Francis.

GLACIER - Jena Willis 1-4, Kayla Russell 1-4, Katie McHugh 1-4, Kayleena Ikeda 3-4, Tacey Howe 1-3, Marysa Rogozynski 1-4, Ali Williams 3-4, Taylor Riggles 2-4, Anna Jenks 0-3.

GREAT FALLS - Danica Wassmann 0-4, Mercedes Bourgeau 1-4, Jessica Keller 1-3, Kelsey Devlin 2-5, Hailey Houck 4-5, Hailey Felice 1-4, Markaela Francis 2-4, Mikaela Kynett 3-4, Brooke Gruntawicz 3-4.

2B - Tacey Howe, Riggles. HR - Ikeda 2, Williams; Houck. RBIs - Willis, Russell, Ikeda 2, Howe 2, Williams 3, Riggles 2; Bourgeau 3, Houck 7, Felice 3, Gruntawicz 3.

Great Falls 18,

Flathead 0 (5 innings)

CMR 10,

Flathead 0 (6 innings)

GREAT FALLS — Flathead (0-2) was 10-run-ruled in a pair of nonconference losses to Great Falls and CMR.

Both teams grabbed big first-inning leads as Great Falls scored six runs in the opening frame and CMR had four.

Abbie O’Brien, who batted 2-for-3 with a double, was the only Bravette to record a hit against Great Falls. She also batted 2-for-3 against CMR.

Kelsey Devlin smacked two homers for Great Falls.

“We are back to the drawing board tomorrow for practice,” Flathead coach Ashley Fusaro said.

The Bravettes host Missoula Big Sky and Missoula Sentinel on Tuesday.

Flathead 000 00 — 0 2 7

Great Falls 617 4X — 18 12 0

Sidney Alberts and Kaylee Henderson. Mercedes Bourgeau and Markaela Francis. W – Bourgeau. L - Alberts.

Flathead – Abbie O’Brien 2-3, MyKenzie Whitley-Emens 0-3, Sidney Alberts 0-1, Cassidy Smith 0-2, Kaylee Henderson 0-1, MacKenzie Twichel 0-2, Afton McCArrel 0-2, Shayla Tweet 0-2, Kaitlin Torgerson 0-2.

GFH – Danica Wassmann 1-3, Marina Laroque 0-1, Mercedes Bourgeau 2-3, Jessica Keller 2-3, Brooklyn Wilson 0-1, Kelsey Devlin 2-4, Hailey Houck 0-1, Hannah May 1-2, Brooke Gruntowicz 0-2, Hailey Felice 1-2, Markaela Francis 1-2, Lacey Mertes 0-1, Mikaela Kynett 1-3, Annie Douglas 1-3.

2B – O’Brien; Wassmann, Francis, Douglas. 3B – Kynett. HR – Keller, Devlin 2, Felice.

RBI – Wassmann, Bourgeau, Keller 2, Devlin 3, Houck, May, Felice 2, Kynett, Douglas 2.

Flathead 000 000 — 0 5 2

CMR 400 051 — 10 15 0

Sidney Alberts and Kaylee Henderson. Alissa Keeler and Tiffany Lefevre. WP – Keeler. LP – Alberts.

Flathead - Abbie O’Brien 2-3, MyKenzie Whitley-Evans 0-2, Sidney Alberts 1-3, Cassidy Smith 1-3, Kaylee Henderson 0-3, MacKenzie Twichel 0-2, Shayla Tweet 1-2, Kaitlin Torgerson 0-2, Afton McCarrel 0-2.

CMR - Madi Mahoney 0-4, Kylie Otis 2-4, Ericka Hartman 2-4, Alissa Keeler 2-3, Heather Darby 3-3, Kaydee Parsons 2-3, McCall Enott 2-3, Tiffany Lefevre 1-3, Jess Della Rossa 0-2, Shelby Vernon 1-1.

2B – Hartman, Darby, Parsons, Enott 2. HR – Darby. RBI – Keeler 2, Darby 4, Parsons 2, Enott, Vernon.