AA softball: Glacier whips Capital, Helena; Flathead splits
HELENA — The Glacier softball team picked up a pair of Western AA wins Saturday to move two games ahead of second-place Missoula Big Sky in the conference standings.
Jena Willis tallied a school-record 15 strikeouts in a 6-1 win over Helena High and Ali Williams hurled a shutout as Glacier (10-3 overall, 8-1 Western AA) beat Helena Capital 7-0.
Willis carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up two hits and losing the shutout. She also led Glacier at the plate, batting 3-for-4 with a home run and a double.
“She did a great job of just coming right at them,” Glacier coach Andy Fors said of Willis. “There’s some girls in that Helena High lineup that can hit the ball and Jena looked confident and did a fantastic job for us.”
Hannah Atlee sparked the Wolfpack with a three-run homer in the first inning of the win over Capital. The homer was the first of Atlee’s varsity career.
Williams scattered four hits and did not allow a walk. She also led Glacier at the plate, batting 3-for-4 with a double.
“There were several times where Capital had a chance to score some runs,” Fors said. “They got several girls on base and Ali and the team kept them scoreless, so it was nice to get a shutout against a team like that.”
Glacier hosts Capital (5-5, 2-3) and Helena (4-7, 2-5) on Monday at 2 and 4 p.m., respectively. The Wolfpack can clinch Western AA’s top seed and a state tournament berth with a pair of wins.
Glacier 004 010 1 — 6 9 0
Helena 000 000 1 — 1 2 2
Jena Willis and Hannah Atlee. Nicole Pocklington and Kerstie Ward. W – Willis. L – Pocklington.
GLACIER – Willis 3-4, Kayla Russell 0-3, Kayleena Ikeda 2-4, Ali Williams 1-4, Atlee 2-3, Marysa Rogozynski 0-3, Katie McHugh 0-3, Anna Jenks 1-1, Christine Connolly 0-1, Tacey Howe 0-1, Taylor Riggles 0-3.
HELENA – Kitana Rocha 0-3, Tylar Hollond 0-3, Taylor Reisbeck 1-3, Erin Emanuel 1-3, Sarah Bryson 0-3, Kylie MacDonald 0-3, Darcy Ryan 0-2, Ward 0-2, Pocklington 0-2.
2B – Willis, Ikeda, Williams. 3B – Emanuel. HR – Willis. RBI – Willis 2, Ikeda 2; Emanuel.
Glacier 300 100 3 — 7 12 2
Capital 000 000 0 — 0 4 0
Ali Williams and Taylor Riggles. Brittany Smith and Megan Fitzpatrick. W – Williams. L – B. Smith.
GLACIER – Jena Willis 1-4, Kayla Russell 2-4, Kayleena Ikeda 0-3, Williams 3-4, Hannah Atlee 2-4, Marysa Rogozynski 1-3, Katie McHugh 2-3, Christine Connolly 0-3, Riggles 1-3.
CAPITAL (5-5, 2-3) – Quinci Robertson 0-3, Kady Bartsch 1-3, Savannah Smith 0-3, Haley Pardy 0-3, Sydney Ladas 0-1, Sierra Bignell 0-2, Destry McNellis 0-2, Smith 0-1, Mackenzie Johnston 1-2, Emily Hultin 0-1, Fitzpatrick 2-3, Brittany Hogan 0-1.
2B – Riggles, Williams. HR – Atlee. RBI – Atlee 4, Williams 2, Connolly.
Capital 1, Flathead 0
Flathead 6, Helena 1
HELENA — Flathead senior standout pitcher Sidney Alberts tossed a pair of 2-hitters to help the Bravettes split with Helena Capital and Helena High in Western AA play.
Capital pulled out a 1-0 victory in the first matchup of the day. Capital’s Haley Pardy doubled in Savannah Smith for the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Flathead bounced back to drub Helena High 6-1.
“Sidney pitched phenomenally,” Flathead coach Ashley Fusaro said.
“Our defense was fantastic.”
Flathead had no errors against Capital and two in the outing with Helena High.
Iris Matulevich went 3-for-3 for FHS against Capital.
Abbie O’Brien, Alberts and Kijrstjn Kruse all had two hits versus Helena High. Alberts and Potter had doubles.
“We just couldn’t get timely hits in the first game,” Fusaro said with Capital.
Flathead (6-8, 3-5) hosts Helena High and Capital on Monday at 2 and 4 p.m., respectively.
Flathead 000 000 0 — 0 5 0
Capital 000 001 x — 1 3 0
Sidney Alberts and Kaylee Henderson; Brittany Smith and Megan Fitzpatrick. W – Smith, L – Alberts.
FLATHEAD – Abbie O’Brien 0-3, Iris Matievich 3-3, Alberts 0-3, Cassidy Smith 0-3, Henderson 1-2, Shayla Tweet 0-3, Lynsey Potter 1-3, Mackenzie Twichel 0-2, Kaitlin Torgerson 0-1, Kijrstjn Kruse 0-3.
HELENA CAPITAL – Quinci Robertson 1-2, Kady Bartsch 0-2, Savannah Smith 0-3, Haley Pardy 2-3, Sierra Bignell 0-3, Mackenzie Johnston 0-1, Fitzpatrick 0-1, Sydney Ladas 0-1, Emily Hultin 0-1, Brittany Hogan 0-2.
2B – Pardy; RBI – Pardy.
Flathead 200 002 2 — 6 9 1
Helena 000 001 0 — 1 3 2
Alberts and Henderson; Donnelly and Ward. W – Alberts, L – Donnelly.
FLATHEAD – O’Brien 2-2, Matulevich 0-4, Alberts 2-4, Smith 1-4, Henderson 0-4, Tweet 1-3, Potter 1-3, Torgerson 0-3, Kruse 2-3, Twichel (Flex).
HELENA HIGH (4-7, 2-5) – Holland 0-3, E Meredith 1-3, Reisbeck 0-2, Emanuel 1-3, MacDonald 0-3, Ryan 0-2, Donnelly 0-3, Ward 0-2, A Fischer 0-1, Pocklington 1-2.
2B – Alberts, Potter; RBIs – Alberts 2, Potter, Meredith.
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Western AA Softball
Standings
Includes Saturday’s Games
Conference Overall
W-L W-L
Glacier 8-1 10-3
Missoula Big Sky 6-3 9-5
Missoula Sentinel 4-5 5-8
Helena Capital 2-3 5-5
Flathead 3-5 6-8
Missoula Hellgate 3-6 3-11
Helena High 2-5 4-7