Libby 2-0; Polson 1-1 in A action
POLSON — It was a busy and emotional day for the local softball teams at Polson Softball Complex for opening day of the 2014 State Class A Softball Tournament on Thursday.
The Libby Loggers won two close games to advance to the quarterfinals by outlasting Butte Central 2-0 and Belgrade 2-1.
In the opening contest, Loggers’ ace Hannah England threw a one-hit complete game shutout to lead Libby.
The Loggers scored their first run in the top of the third and another in the sixth to secure the victory.
Their second matchup against Belgrade, the top seed from the Central Division, allowed England to show her first performance was no mistake.
She threw another complete game one-hitter, leading the Loggers to the quarterfinals today against Hamilton at 1 p.m.
Kelsey Klin launched a home run in the top of the sixth inning for the game-winning hit and a 2-0 lead.
The Polson Lady Pirates started the tournament with similar success.
Trailing Laurel 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth, Polson scored three runs to cut the deficit to one.
The Pirates scored another three in the next inning, added a run in the sixth, and held on for an 8-5 win.
Jesscia Bagnell earned the win in the circle and hit a two-run double.
She was joined by Taylor Brackey and Lydia Dupuis, who also hit doubles. Jaylin Kenney continued her hot streak at the plate, going 3 for 4 with an RBI.
Hamilton’s Kloie Nye hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 12-11 win over Polson in the second round.
The game was 10-8 in favor of Hamilton in the top of the seventh inning, but Polson scored three runs to take the lead.
Hamilton put a run across the plate in the bottom half to send it to extras.
Hannah Potter went 1 for 4 with Polson’s only home run, while Jaiden Toth, Kyrie Bitterman and Kenney each had two hits.
Polson will face Anaconda 11 a.m. today in loser-out play.
Libby
Game 1
Libby 001 001 0 – 2 4 NA
Butte Central 000 000 0 – 0 1 NA
W – England. L – M. Boggs.
LIBBY – Monigold 0-3, England 1-4, Wedel 1-2, Gallagher 1-3, ,Klin 1-2, Benefield 0-3, Germany 0-3, Rebo 0-3, Regh 2-3.
BUTTE CENTRAL – Hiett 0-3, Paffhausen 0-3, Wahl 0-2, Peoples 0-3, Holm 1-3, McGee 0-3, Boggs 0-2, Green 0-2, Osselo 0-2.
RBI – Germany.
Game 2
Libby 000 101 0 – 2 2 NA
Belgrade 000 001 0 – 1 1 NA
W – Hannah England. L – Judy Taylor.
LIBBY – Madisen Monigold 1-4, England 0-4, Mahalah Wedel 0-3, Devon Gallagher 0-3, Kelsey Klin 0-3, Auria Benefield 1-3, Dayln Germany 0-3, Rachel Rebo 0-3, ,Regh 0-3.
BELGRADE – West 0-3, Beubauer 1-3, Branch 0-3, Rollins 0-3, Alstrom 0-3, Cygan 0-3, Bethke 0-3, Taylor 0-2, Goulet 0-2.
2B – Gallagher, West. HR – Klin. RBIs – Branch, Klin.
Polson
Game 1
Laurel 014 000 0 – 5 4 NA
Polson 010 331 x – 8 8 NA
W – Bagnell. L – Jones.
LAUREL – Ayla Grandpre 0-4, Kylie Goodson 0-4, Maurisa Gunn 1-4, Katie Williams 0-4, Hailey Spitzer 1-4, Paige Hodges 0-3, Brianne Jones 0-4, Rider 2-3, Hailey Maurer 0-3.
POLSON – Kenney 3-4, Toth 1-4, Bagnell 1-3, Wall 1-3, Potter 1-2, Brackey 0-3, Bitterman 1-3, Benson 0-2, Dupuis 0-3, Fyant 0-1.
2B – Bagnell, Brackey, Dupuis, Jones. RBIs – Bagnell 2, Benson 2, Kenney, Potter, Bitterman, Dupuis, Hodges 2, Grandpre, Goodson.
Game 2
Polson 131 210 30 – 11 12 3
Hamilton 202 204 11 – 12 16 4
W – Brie Clifford. L – Jessica Bagnell.
POLSON – Jaylin Kenney 2-5, Jaiden Toth 2-4, Bagnell 0-3, Hannah Potter 1-4, Taylor Brackey 1-5, Kaelen Wall 0-5, Kyrie Bitterman 2-5, Ashley Benson 3-4, Lydia Dupuis 1-4.
HAMILTON – McKayl Rothie 3-4, Clifford 2-5, Taylor Goligoski 4-4, Tayler Reynolds 2-5, Shaylan Mohn 0-4, Lauren Dolcater 1-5, Sydney Bergren 1-4, Lacey Dolcater 1-5, Kloie Nye 2-5.
2B – Kenney, Toth, Dupuis, Benson, Bergren, Rothie 2, Goligoski, Clifford, Nye, Reynolds. 3B – Kenney. HR – Potter, Goligoski, Reynolds. RBIs – Toth 3, Kenney, Bagnell, Potter, Benson, Dupuis, Goligoski 4, Reynolds 2, Clifford, Lau. Dolcater, Nye.
Thursday’s Scores
First Round
Livingston 5, Anaconda 4
Havre 7, Miles City 5
Polson 8, Laurel 5
Libby 2, Butte Central 0
Second Round
Billings Central 1, Livingston 0
Frenchtown 9, Havre 0
Hamilton 12, Polson 11
Libby 2, Belgrade 1