Softball: Polson rallies by Frenchtown, 4-3

POLSON — In a wild finish, Polson rallied for a 4-3 Northwestern A softball victory on Monday over Frenchtown.

Frenchtown tied the game in the top of the seventh by scoring two runs with two outs on a dropped ball in the Polson outfield. The Broncs added a run after that to take a 3-2 lead.

Polson answered in the bottom half of the inning.

Camas Renault reached base on an error to lead things off. She was replaced at first by courtesy runner Laurel Bitterman.

After Haley Fyant struck out, Kaelen Wall doubled to center to score Bitterman to tie it at 3-all.

Taylor Brackey then singled, moving Wall to third.

Hannah Potter was up next and walked to load the bases. That put Lydia Dupuis at the plate. She hit a grounder to the shortstop, which was bobbled and allowed Wall to score the game-winning run.

“It was a big one,” Polson coach Larry Smith said of the victory.

“It’s right up there with some of the better ones I’ve had.”

Smith said freshman shortstop Kayle Smith provided the spark the Pirates needed. She slid into first base headfirst to beat out an infield single in fifth inning and later scored. That put Polson up 1-0.

“That got the team fired up,” Smith said.

“After that, we played with a lot of heart and desire.”

Polson has three regular-season games left — all at home. The Pirates face Columbia Falls on Thursday and Whitefish and Libby the following week.

Frenchtown 000 000 3 — 3 6 4

Polson 000 011 2 — 4 6 4

Morgan Ray and Brooke Yarnall; Camas Renault and Sarah Rausch. W — Renault. L — Ray.

FRENCHTOWN — Emma Pyron 2-4, Yarnall 0-4, Ray 1-3, Krista Hebnes 3-4, Haley Cyr 0-3, Shelby Shourds 0-3, Laci Willet 0-3, Ali Hochhalter 0-2, Ali Moe 0-1, Maggie Delaney 0-2.

POLSON — Jaiden Toth 0-3, Kaelen Wall 3-4, Taylor Brackey 1-3, Hannah Potter 0-2, Rausch 0-2, Lydia Dupuis 0-4, Skyla Krantz 0-3, Kaelyn Smith 2-3, Renault 0-3, Haley Fyant 0-1, Ashley Benson 0-1, Laurel Bitterman 0-0.

2B—Wall; RBIs—Yarnall (2), Ray; Wall, Dupuis.