Softball: Glacier tips Helena, beaten by Capital

HELENA — The Glacier Wolfpack softball team lost to Helena Capital 3-1, but came back to edge Helena High 2-1 in Western AA road games on Saturday.

In the first game of the day, the Wolfpack trailed Capital, 2-0, heading into the fifth inning when MacKenzie Brester-Knight’s solo home run brought Glacier within one.

The Bruins mustered another run in the bottom half of the fifth en route to a two-run conference victory.

Ali Williams held the Bruins two just five hits in a closely contested match-up.

“She pitched great for us,” Glacier coach Andy Fors said.

“She had a very solid performance. She did a great job in the circle. Unfortunately, we had some untimley errors behind her.”

Brester-Knight stayed hot for the Wolfpack, going 2-for-3 with a triple against Helena High.

Glacier squeezed two runs by the Bengals in the top of the fifth and Williams earned the save, pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

Erin McHugh got the win for the Wolfpack, pitching three scoreless innings after relieving the one-run effort from Hannah Atlee.

“It’s still early enough in the season to where we have some question about what are pitching depth looks like,” Fors said.

“Each on those girls did a very good job in the circle today.”

Kayla Russell had an RBI for Glacier and Christine Connolly went 2-for-3 in the Wolfpack’s second game.

“Anytime you can get a confernce win on the road it’s nice,” Fors said.

“Defensively, we’ve been able to limit teams from scoring runs. We just need to clean up our errors a bit.”

Glacier will face Flathead in a crosstown doubleheader this Thursday at Conrad Complex. The first game is at 3 p.m. with the second game scheduled for 5.

Glacier wraps up the week on Saturday with a trip to Butte for a noon nonconference contest.

Glacier 000 010 0 — 1 3 2

Capital 101 010 x — 3 5 4

Brittany Smith WP, Ali Williams LP.

GLACIER - Taylor Riggles 0-3, MacKenzie Brester-Knight 1-3, Christina DuFour 0-1, Williams 1-3, Kayleena Ikeeda 0-4, Anna Jenks 0-2, Tacey Howe 1-3, Hannah Atlee 0-3, Kayla Russell 0-4, Katie McHugh 0-2.

CAPITAL - McKenzie Johnston 1-4, Sydney Ladas 0-2, Destry McNellis 2-2, Megan Fitzpatrick 0-1, Smith 1-3, Kady Bartsch 1-3, Haylee Mooney 0-1, Caroline Rosling 0-1, Brittany Hogan 0-3, Shelby VanHemelryck 0-2.

2B - Williams; 3B - McNellis 2; HR - Brester-Knight; RBIs - McNellis, Smith, Brester-Knight.

Glacier 000 020 0 — 2 7 0

Helena High 001 000 0 — 1 9 0

Gilchrist; Hannah Atlee, Erin McHugh (4), Ali Williams (7). W - McHugh, L - Gilchrist.

GLACIER - Kayla Russell 1-3, Kayleena Ikeda 1-4, Williams 0-3, Taylor Riggles 1-2, Atlee 0-3, Katie McHugh 0-3, Tracy Howe 0-3, Connolly 2-3, MacKenzie Brester-Knight 2-3.

HELENA (3-4-1, 2-1-1) - Meredith 1-4, Nash 1-3, Holland 1-4, Emanuel 1-3, Fischer 1-3, Hinman 2-2, Edgar 2-3, Kroll 0-2, Giard 0-1, Lindenfeld 0-3.

2B - Russell, Nash; 3B - Brester-Knight; RBIs - Russell, Holland.