Softball: Glacier trips Hellgate; Libby tops Frenchtown

The Glacier Wolfpack defeated the Missoula Hellgate Knights 11-1 in six innings on Saturday afternoon for a Western AA home softball victory.

Of the 18 outs recorded in the Wolfpack win, Ali Williams accounted for all but one. The junior struck out 17 batters and scattered three hits in going the distance.

Glacier (16-3 overall, 9-2 Western AA) scored five runs in the first two innings, pushing one run across in the first inning before exploding for four runs in the second.

Christine Connolly, who finished 2 for 3 on the day, collected her sixth hit in three games. The junior catcher also drove in a run.

“I thought the girls came out and were ready to play. We struck early in the first and got it going in the second,” Glacier coach Andy Fors said.

“Christine Connolly has been hitting really well. She’s taking some opportunities to really be productive and it’s had a huge impact for our team.”

Kayleena Ikeda drove in a game-high two RBIs on a 3 for 4 performance.

The Knights (2-14, 1-10) avoided the shutout with a one-run sixth inning, but the Wolfpack responded with three more in the bottom half to end the game due to a 10-run mercy rule.

Glacier’s regular season finale is Thursday at 5 p.m. against crosstown rival Flathead at Conrad Complex.

Hellgate 000 001 — 1 3 3

Glacier 140 033 — 11 10 2

Talley Hill and Sierrah Hardy. Ali Williams and Christine Connolly

HELLGATE — Callie McKillop 0-3, Kathleen Packard 0-3, Hill 1-2, Hardy 1-3, Korey Waletzko 1-3, Elizabeth Swanson 0-3, Dusty Caluroi 0-2, Allison High 0-2, Natasha Crepeau 0-2.

GLACIER — Christina DuFour 1-4, Kayla Russell 2-3, Ali Williams 1-2, Kayleena Ikeda 3-4, Mackenzie Brester-Knight 0-3, Christine Connolly 2-3, Erin Shew 0-2, Alivia Atlee 0-1, Serra Monroe 0-1, Ali Newton 0-1, Anna Schrade 1-1.

2B — DuFour, Russell. RBIs — Waletzko, Williams 2, Ikeda 2, Connolly, Schrade, Shew.

Libby 1, Frenchtown 0

9 innings

LIBBY — The two-time defending state champion Frenchtown Broncs are undefeated no more.

Saturday’s dramatic nine-inning Northwest A clash went in favor of the Libby Loggers (11-3 overall, 3-2 Northwest A) who scored the winning run on a passed ball in extra innings for the victory.

In the bottom of the ninth, Libby catcher Devon Gallagher reached base on an error before teammate Rachel Rebo did the same. The miscue on Rebo’s at-bat sent Gallagher to third.

With one strike against her and two outs in the second extra inning, Dayln Germany watched the next pitch scoot past Frenchtown catcher Brooke Yarnall, allowing Gallagher to cross the plate for the winning run.

Frenchtown (13-1, 3-1) outhit the Loggers 5-3, but couldn’t overcome Hannah England. England dominated the circle, striking out 13 batters while conceding just one walk.

“Hannah pitched an incredible game, holding them to five hits,” Libby coach Dean Thompson said.

“The defense played great behind her.”

Despite the late-inning miscue, the Broncs’ Morgan Ray kept pace with England, tossing 12 strikeouts and walking one.

Libby travels to Whitefish on Thursday for a 6 p.m. contest.

Frenchtown 000 000 000 — 0 5 3

Libby 000 000 001 — 1 3 2

Morgan Ray and Brooke Yarnall. Hannah England and Devon Gallagher. W — England. L — Ray.

FRENCHTOWN — Emma Pyron 0-4, Brooke Yarnell 1-4, Morgan Ray 1-4, Krista Hebnes 0-4, Haley Cyr 2-4, Shelby Shourds 0-2, Laci Willet 1-3, Ali Moe 0-2, Talyor Rockwood 0-2, Ali Hochhalter 0-1.

LIBBY — Madison Monigold 1-4, Mahalah Wedel 1-4, Abbey Ennenga 0-4, Devon Gallagher 0-4, Rachel Rebo 0-4, Staci Regh 1-4, Dayln Germany 0-2, Auria Benefield 0-2, Ashley Walker 0-1, Hannah England 0-3.

Columbia Falls 21, Whitefish 1

COLUMBIA FALLS — The Wildkats hit four doubles and a triple while pitcher Ashley Trueblood struck out 10 batters in a five-inning Northwest A home victory over the Whitefish Bulldogs.

Columbia Falls (12-3 overall, 4-1 Northwest A) scored 13 runs in the bottom of the second to break the game open.

Madi Fetters finished 3 for 3 with a double and an RBI for the Columbia Falls. Teammate Alysha Cantu drove in a team-high four runs on as many hits.

Whitefish (0-12, 0-6) scored in the top of the second. Catcher Madison Davis singled home Michaela McDowell.

Columbia Falls heads to Polson on Thursday for a 5 p.m. conference clash.

Whitefish plays at Eureka on Monday at 6 p.m.

Whitefish 010 00 — 1 1 3

Columbia Falls 4(13)0 4x — 21 18 2

Lauren McDonald and Madison Davis. Ashley Trueblood and Breanna Friar. W — Trueblood. L — McDonald.

WHITEFISH — McDonald 0-3, Abby Reees 0-2, McKenzie Carl 0-2, Michaela McDowell 0-1, Savannah Eisenbarth 0-2, Davis 1-2, Isabelle Klempel 0-1, Gillian Broughton 0-1, Halle Reading 0-2, Abbey Nelson 0-2.

Columbia Falls — Carlee Brown 2-5, Madi Fetters 3-3, Trueblood 3-5, Friar 2-4, Alysha Cantu 4-5, Kaityn Hoerner 1-3, Lottie Ellis 1-1, KJ Schweikert 0-0, Kerry Lanners 0-1, Katie Price 0-1, Morgan Campbell-Queen 0-0, Peyton Kehr 2-2, Sydney Hovde 0-0, Hannah Freeman 0-1.

2B — Brown, Fetters, Trueblood, Ellis, 3B — Kehr. RBIs — Brown 2, Fetters, Trueblood, Cantu 4, Ellis 2, Lanners, Hovde.

Loyola 13-11, Eureka 3-8

EUREKA — The Missoula Loyola Sacred Heart Breakers swept the Eureka Lions.

The Lions put up three runs in the bottom of the first inning without recording a hit, but it wasn’t enough to overtake the Breakers who scored four runs in the top half of the opening inning.

Loyola’s Hannah Hirning went on to throw a no-hitter and the Breakers scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to take Game 1.

Trailing 6-0 in Game 2, Eureka erupted for six runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie it, but Loyola scored five runs over the final two innings for the win.

Eureka’s Rylee Morgan went 2 for 4 in Game 2 with two RBIs. Teammates Erynn Thier and Stacy Cooper each added a hit and an RBI.

Game 1

Loyola 402 25 — 13 8 2

Eureka 300 00 — 3 0 2

Hannah Hirning and Breanna Mitchell. Erynn Thier and Courtney Lemer. W — Hirning. L — Thier.

LOYOLA — Maggie Miltko 1-2, Hirning 2-2, Haran 1-1, Mitchell 0-2, Natalie Goodman 1-2, Josie Anderson 0-2, Ivvy Solomon 0-1, Molly Miltko 1-3, Andrea Lawrence 1-2, Haley Janssen 1-3.

EUREKA — E Thier 0-2, Evynn Anderson 0-2, Stacy Cooper 0-2, Lemer 0-2, Rylee Morgan 0-1, Haley Lindgren 0-2, Laura Williams 0-2, W Anderson 0-2, Charity Parsons 0-2.

2B — Hirning. HR — Haran. RBIs — Hirning, Haran (3), Goodman.

Game 2

Loyola 420 003 2 — 11 8 4

Eureka 000 061 1 — 8 7 0

Hannah Hirning (2), Haran (5) and Breanna Mitchell. E Thier and Lemer. W — Hirning. L — Thier.

EUREKA — Thier 1-2, E Anderson 1-3, Cooper 1-4, Lemer 0-4, Morgan 2-4, Lindgren 0-3, Bailey Bishop 1-1, W Anderson 0-1, Parsons 1-3, Ashlyn Waldo 0-2.

LOYOLA — Maggie Miltko 0-2, Hirning 0-2, Josie Anderson 0-2, Haran 0-4, Mitchell 1-3, Natalie Gioodman 2-4, Josie Anderson 0-2, Ivvy Solomon 0-0, Molly Miltko 2-4, MJ Jackson 0-2, Jade Combs 2-3 Jane Albrecht 1-2, Haley Janssen 0-1.

2B — Mitchell, Goodman. RBIs — Thier, Cooper, Morgan (2), Maggie Miltko, Molly Miltko (3), Combs (2), Albrecht.