Softball: State trip on the line for Bravettes

Flathead will look to qualify for its first state softball tournament since 2007 when it travels to Missoula for a best-of-3 play-in series with Big Sky today.

On paper, the series looks like a mismatch. Big Sky (12-8 overall, 8-4 Western AA) carries a .361 team batting average and 24 home runs into the postseason while Flathead (6-15, 3-9) is hitting .262 with one home run.

But on the field it has been a different story. Flathead won the first regular-season meeting 9-2 in Kalispell on April 9, then narrowly lost 4-3 in Missoula two weeks later. 

“We beat them once and only lost by one,” Flathead coach Ashley Fusaro said. “We think we match up really well against them.”

One major difference between the Flathead team that gave Big Sky problems in April and the current Bravettes squad is uncertainty in the circle. Senior Sidney Alberts pitched both regular season games against the Eagles, but she hasn’t stepped into the circle since she injured a finger in practice two weeks ago.

“When we played against them they were a solid defensive team I thought and you have to work to score against them,” Big Sky coach Dennis Staves said.

Fusaro said she hopes Alberts is able to pitch, but if not Raylene Kerney will get the nod. Kerney has started Flathead’s last five games in Alberts’ absence.

“Raylene has been working all week and will be ready to face Big Sky,” Fusaro said.

Whoever pitches for Flathead will be up against a potent Big Sky offense. Jessica Brady leads the Eagles with a .559 batting average and Jess Schafer is hitting .521 with a team-leading eight home runs.

“I think our team strength is definitely our hitting,” Staves said. “We go pretty deep through the lineup hitting-wise.”

Kijrstjn Kruse and Abbie O’Brien lead Flathead with .359 and .356 averages, respectively. Alberts, who has been used as a designated player since her finger injury, is batting .333.

After a hot start, Flathead finished the regular season with a seven-game losing streak, but Fusaro said she’s encouraged by what she’s seen in practice.

“We’ve picked up the intensity and the pressure in practice and we’re excited to take that into the games on Thursday,” she said.

Today’s series begins at 1 p.m.