SOFTBALL: Polson earns first win, shuts out Flathead

Camas Renault delivered a two-run second inning single and combined with Haley Fyant on a seven-hit shutout in Polson’s 4-0 win against Flathead at a brisk Boyle Field at the Conrad Complex Tuesday night.

The win was the first of the season for the Pirates (1-2), who were outscored 24-3 in a pair of losses at home on Saturday.

“You could see it in their eyes that this was a little better,” Polson coach Larry Smith said of his team after the game.

“They come from a program that’s traditionally a winning program, so taking losses is pretty hard on them and that’s good; they should be.”

Neither Polson hurler was overpowering, but the Pirates issued only two walks and played sparkling, error-free defense.

“Flathead put the bat on the ball,” Smith said. “We just have some good defense. I’ve got a lot of speed on defense … people are going to hit the ball so you’d better have a good defense.”

Fyant earned the win in relief, throwing the last four innings and scattering four hits. Flathead was able to advance a runner as far as third base only once in the game.

The Pirates tallied the only runs they would need in the second inning when Ashley Benson and Lydia Dupuis each singled, then executed a double steal to set up Renault’s run-scoring base hit to right.

The Pirates added insurance in the seventh, taking advantage of a pair of Bravettes errors. Benson and Hannah Potter each stroked run-scoring hits in the frame.

Flathead’s Kylee Beccari went the distance in the circle and was impressive in her own right. The junior recorded six strikeouts and even fought through a comebacker that ricocheted off of her pitching arm in the fifth inning.

“I thought (Beccari) did a great job,” Flathead coach Tasia Gates said. “She gets that ball right back up the middle in the forearm, brushes it off and goes right back to work. She had a nasty bruise on her arm.

“Just really impressed with her so far this year.”

The Bravettes (0-1) started an extremely young lineup with only one senior and seven underclassmen, including three freshmen. Riley Chouinard, a freshman, started at third base and batted fifth, going 2-for-3 in her first high school game.

“We’re still shifting some positions around a little bit to see what’s working best for us and we might have found something today,” Gates said. “Pretty excited about that.”

Flathead sophomore Jayden Russell also had two hits.

Polson’s offense was led by Benson, who reached base three times, scored a run, drove in another and stole a base. Kaelyn Smith had two hits and three steals for the Pirates, who successfully swiped eight bags in the game.

Flathead returns to action Saturday with a home doubleheader against Great Falls C.M. Russell and Great Falls High, beginning at noon. Polson will travel to Belgrade this weekend for the Belgrade Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

Polson 020 000 2 — 4 8 0

Flathead 000 000 0 — 0 7 3

Camas Renault, Haley Fyant (4) and Ashley Benson (P). Kylee Beccari and Jayden Russell (F). WP — Fyant (1-2). LP — Beccari (0-1).

POLSON — Kaelyn Smith 2-4, Laurel Bitterman 1-4, Haley Fyant 0-4, Hannah Potter 1-3, Ashley Benson 2-3, Lydia Dupuis 1-3, Hannah Fryberger 0-3, Camas Renault 1-3, Whitney Barr 0-2, Breyland McColl 0-1.

FLATHEAD — Jayden Russell 2-4, Bailey Nunn 0-4, Abbie O’Brien 1-3, Kylee Meredith 0-2, Riley Chouinard 2-3, Kaileight Denna 1-2, Kylee Beccari 0-3, Kayla Kallis 0-3, Caitlin Morrison 0-1, Kaitlin Torgerson 1-2.

2B — Potter (P), O’Brien (F). RBIs — Renault 2, Potter, Benson (P).