Prep softball: Polson, Libby start season 2-0

by The Daily Inter Lake
| March 29, 2014 11:02 PM

POLSON — Despite early morning rain, the Polson Lady Pirates opened up the 2014 softball season with two home victories, beating Butte Central, 6-1, and Anaconda, 9-1, in Class A nonconference action on Saturday afternoon.

In the first game against Butte Central, Polson led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning when the Polson bats came alive and put up three runs on the scoreboard to take control of the game. Polson senior pitcher Jessica Bagnell gave up one run on five hits and the Lady Pirates tacked on one more run in the bottom of the sixth.

Bagnell also stood out in the batter’s box going 3 for 4 while sophomore Hannah Potter went 2 for 2.

Polson’s second game saw the Lady Pirates outscore Anaconda 6-0 in the first two innings.

Senior Jaylin Kenney and junior Jaiden Toth had three RBIs each. Kenney was 2 for 3 while Toth was 3 for 4 at the plate.

Again, Bagnell took control of the pitcher’s circle, allowing Anaconda’s lone run in the top half of the third inning. Her 1 for 3 effort at the plate included the game’s only triple.

“I was very pleased with them. Jessica did a great job. She gave up a total of 10 hits between the two games. She pitched very well,” Polson head coach Larry Smith said.

“I was happy with the way we hit, especially against Butte Central. They have a great little pitcher and we got on her pretty hard. Anaconda threw a lefty at us. She didn’t throw too hard, but they had to adjust and they did so really well.”

Polson takes on Corvallis and Hamilton on Saturday. They’ll play at Corvallis at 10 a.m. and head to Hamilton for a 3 p.m. start.

Butte Central 000 010 0 — 1 5 3

Polson 100 131 x — 6 12 0

Teresa Piazzola and Kate Ossello. Jessica Bagnell and Jaylin Kenney. W - Bagnell. L - Piazzola.

BUTTE CENTRAL — Shawnee Hjelt 1-3, Ossello 0-3, Emily St. John 0-3, Taylor Wahl 0-3, Rylee Green 1-3, Mikayla Boggs 1-3, Piazzola 0-2, Shelby Paffhausen 0-3, Mollie Peoples 2-3.

POLSON — Kenney 1-2, Jaiden Toth 1-3, Bagnell 3-4, Kaelen Wall 0-4, Hannah Potter 2-2, Skyla Krantz 1-2, Sarah Rausch 1-1, Taylor Brackey 0-4, Kyrie Bitterman 2-2, Lydia Dupuis 1-3.

2B - Hjelt; Kenney, Dupuis. 3B - Bitterman. RBIs - Peoples; Kenney, Toth, Bagnell, Rausch, Bitterman, Dupuis.

Anaconda 001 000 0 — 1 5 2

Polson 150 201 x — 9 10 3

Kristy Hayden and Courtney Moodry. Jessica Bagnell and Jaylin Kenney. W - Bagnell. L - Hayden.

ANACONDA - C. Moodry 2-4, L. Moodry 0-3, D. Chapman 0-3, S. Schaefer 1-3, J. Peterson 0-3, K Flores 1-3, C. Worl 0-3, K Hayden 0-2, A Mavrinec 0-1, H. Schaefer 1-3.

POLSON - Kenney 2-3, Jaiden Toth 3-4, Bagnell 1-3, Kaelen Wall 1-4, Hannah Potter 1-3, Skyla Krantz 1-2, Kyrie Bitterman 0-2, Sarah Rausch 0-3, Lydia Dupius 1-2, Taylor Brackey 1-1.

2B - S. Schaefer, H. Schaefer; Kenney, Brackey. 3B - Bagnell. RBIs - S. Schaefer; Kenney 3, Toth 3, Bagnell 1, Wall.

Libby 14, Anaconda 4

Libby 4, Butte Central 0

POLSON — Libby banged out 15 and 11 hits in the two contests and rode the strong pitching of Hannah England in the shutout to open the season with two nonconference victories.

Staci Regh and Rachel Rebo led the offense in the opener with Anaconda, both clubbing three hits.

Mahalah Wedel and Kelsey Klin both had doubles.

England held Butte Central to two hits while striking out six and walking just two batters to improve to 2-0.

She went the distance in both outings.

England also had a big game at the plate, going 3 for 4. Devon Gallagher was 3 for 3.

“The girls played well, up and down (the lineup),” Libby coach Dean Thompson said.

“We return nine starters from last year.”

Libby is back in action Saturday with a four-team invitational in Libby. Also participating are Frenchtown and two schools from Idaho — Sandpoint and Timberlake.

Libby 422 003 3 — 14 15 3

Anaconda 011 110 0 — 4 10 4

Hannah England and Devon Gallagher; A. Marrinet and C. Moodrey. W — England (1-0). L — Marrinet.

LIBBY — England 1-5, Mahalah Wedel 2-5, Kelsey Klin 1-3, Gallagher 2-3, Staci Regh 3-5, Auria Benefield 2-4, Dayln Germany 0-4, Abbey Ennenga 1-1, Rachel Rebo 3-4, Kyra Lauer 0-3.

ANACONDA — C. Moodrey 2-4, L. Moodrey 2-4, D. Chapman 2-3, S. Schafer 0-4, Peterson 0-3, Y. Flores 2-4, Worl 2-4, Marrinet 0-3, F. Yulaski 0-4.

2B—Wedel, Klin; L. Moodrey; 3B—C. Moodrey; RBIs—Regh, Benefield, Germany; NA.

Libby 004 000 0 — 4 11 4

Butte Central 000 000 0 — 0 2 1

England and Gallagher; M. Boggs and C. Holm. W — England (2-0). L — Bogss.

LIBBY — England 3-4, Wedel 1-4, Klin 1-3, Gallagher 3-3, Regh 1-4, Benefield 1-3, Germany 1-3, Rebo 0-3, Ennenga 0-3, Lauer 0-0.

BUTTE CENTRAL — S. Hjelt 1-3, E. St. James 0-3, T. Wahl 0-2, R. Greene 0-3, M. Peoples 1-3, Boggs 0-3, Holm 0-3, C. McGrer 0-3, S. Paffhausen 0-3, A. Dennehy 0-2, C. Thomes 0-0.

RBIs—Regh, Benefield (2), Germany.