SOFTBALL: C-Falls keeps season alive at Class A state tourney

by The Daily Inter Lake
| May 27, 2016 10:45 PM

BELGRADE — Columbia Falls won three games on Friday at the Class A state softball tournament, keeping its season alive until the final day of play.

The Wildkats, losers on the first day of action, needed to play their way back into contention to stay alive and started on the right foot with a 6-1 win over Miles City. Columbia Falls paraded three runs in the fifth inning against the Cowgirls to pull away, KJ Schweikert roping a pair of doubles in the win.

A game against conference rival Polson awaited the Kats, after the Pirates routed Havre 17-5 in the first round.

The two well-versed teams, which met two times earlier this season, played to a stalemate after regulation, thanks to a timely run from Columbia Falls in the bottom of the seventh.

Polson struck first in extras, scoring a run in the top of the eighth, but Columbia Falls answered with four runs in the home half to win 9-6.

Sydney Hovde was 3 for 5 with two home runs in the victory. Polson’s Laurel Bitterman was 2 for 4 with a double.

Columbia Falls met Laurel in its final game of the day, after the Locomotives ran into a wall against Frenchtown earlier, falling 16-2 in six innings.

The Wildkats struggled to plate runners in the first few innings, falling behind 5-1 after the third. A seven-run fourth broke Columbia Falls loose, however, and the Kats led 13-5 after six innings. They held on in the seventh despite giving up four runs to keep the season alive.

Hovde and Lottie Ellis were each 4 for 5 with a homer in the game to lead Columbia Falls at the plate.

The win streak pits the Wildkats into a rematch against Belgrade in the quarterfinals, the winner advancing to the consolation final. Belgrade beat Columbia Falls 8-0 in the tournament opener.

Frenchtown will play Butte Central in the semifinals in the unbeaten bracket.

The championship is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

Third round

Frenchtown 16, Laurel 2

Frenchtown 044 260 — 16 14 1

Laurel 001 010 — 2 3 4

Laci Willett and Brooke Yarnall. Ellie Kildahl and Brenna Kanta. W – Willett. L – Kildahl.

FRENCHTOWN (16-5) – Megan Delaney 2-5 (2B), Alli Moe 1-3, Yarnall 1-4, Shelby Shourds 2-3 (2 2B), Willett 1-3 (2B), Dana Jacobs 1-3, Allie Hochhalter 2-4 (2B), Jordan Cole 3-4 (2B)Taylor Rockwood 1-4.

LAUREL (11-8) – Hailey Maurer 1-3, Hailey Ogle 0-3, Jade Spooner 0-3, Kaylee Womack 0-2, Paige Hodges 0-1, Kildahl 0-2, Dakota Boehler 0-1, Kayla Braden 1-2 (2B), Kallie Linse 1-2.

Butte Central 4, Belgrade 3

Belgrade 000 300 0 — 3 2 1

Butte Central 001 003 x — 4 8 0

Erin Elgas, Judy Taylor (6) and Kindall Bethke. Teresa Piazzola and Corbyn Holm. W - Piazzola. L - Elgas (3-1).

BELGRADE (18-2) - Skyla Neubauer 0-4, Taylor 0-2, Jordan Branch 1-3, Ty Atwood 0-2, Bethke 1-3 (HR), Anna Cox 0-3, Shaina Krone 0-3, Kalisa Pachl 0-2, Elgas 0-1, Shania Neubauer 0-2.

BUTTE CENTRAL (15-4) - Kloie Thatcher 1-3 (2B), Shawnee Hjelt 1-3, Taylor Wahl 1-3 (HR), Holm 2-3 (2B, HR), Piazzola 0-3, Mollie Peoples 1-3, Kassidy Criscuolo 1-3 (2B), McKenzier Gallagher 0-3, Megan Michelotti 1-2 (2B).

Loser-out

Lewistown 23, Corvallis 15

Corvallis 103 461 0 — 15 14 1

Lewistown 547 222 1 — 23 26 9

Carley Carpenter, Kinsey Irvin (5) and . Kayla Fields, Taia Tully (1). W – Carpenter. L – Tully.

CORVALLIS (13-7) – Nicole Turner 1-5, Taia Tully 1-4, Kambrey Powell 1-5, Hannah Capko 4-5 (2B), Hannah Brown 2-5, Kira Doyle 1-5, Kiley Mullen 1-4 (2B), Bobbie Stephen 3-5, Megan Bradshaw 0-4, Ciera Jessop 0-0.

LEWISTOWN (17-7) – Nora Weichel 3-6 (2B), Kolby Gobble 0-1, Mikayla Comes 2-6 (HR), Karlie Southworth 2-4 (2B, HR), Haydn Potter 1-1, Dani Gapay 1-2, Kylee Weeden 2-3 (3B), Kinsey Irvin 4-5 (2B), Hannah Hayes 0-2, Ade Halter 1-3, Elizabeth Craven 3-3 (2B), Alee Sanders 0-1, Val Kolstad 3-4, Abby Gremaux 1-2, Gracia Butcher 3-4 (2B).

Glendive 10, Hamilton 5

Glendive 110 002 06 — 10 10 3

Hamilton 100 030 01 — 5 6 4

Carrie Nagle and Samantha Egan. Jorden Taggart and Kelsie Meis. W – Nagle. L – Taggart.

GLENDIVE (15-6) – Wyniah Mintz 2-4 (HR), Averie Skillestad 1-5, Lexi Petersen 2-4, Lexi Petersen 2-4, Egan 1-2, Nagle 2-5 (2B), Cheyenne Ryan 1-3 (2B), Cheyenne Fisher 0-4, Syrell Dufner 1-4 (2B), Kenna Begger 0-2.

HAMILTON (13-10) – Kloie Doyle 1-4 (3B), Caitlin Dillon 1-4 (2B), Rachael Ringer 1-4 (HR), Mallory McGill 0-4, Meis 0-4, Rachel Richardson 1-3 (3B), Tessa Della Silva 0-3, Brooke Huxtable 1-3, Sophia Doyle 1-2.

Columbia Falls 6, Miles City 1

Miles City 001 000 0 — 1 2 0

Columbia Falls 012 030 x — 6 11 0

Alexa Kappel, Arena Porter (5) and Madissen Hill. KJ Schweikert and Samantha Collins. W – Schweikert. L – Kappel.

MILES CITY (9-14) – Tori Ogolin 1-3 (HR), Jenna Swope 1-3 (3B), Kylee Licht 0-1, Arena Porter 0-3, McKenzie Taylor 0-3, Hill 0-3, Kappel 0-2, Autum Porter 0-3, Hope Dittus 0-2.

COLUMBIA FALLS (17-8) – Katie Price 1-4 (2B), Peyton Kehr 1-4, Collins 2-4, Lottie Ellis 3-4 92B), Sydney Hovde 0-2, Schweikert 2-2 (2 2B), Hannah Freeman 0-1, Taylor Putnam 1-3 (2B), Morgan Campbell-Queen 1-2.

Polson 17, Havre 5

Polson 003 545 0 — 17 17 2

Havre 000 401 0 — 5 7 6

Camas Renault, Lauren Vergeront (5) and Ashley Benson. Dani Wagner and Nicole Parsons. W – Renault. L - Wagner

POLSON – Kaelyn Smith 3-5 (HR), Laurel Bitterman 3-5, Benson 0-4, Lydia Dupuis 3-5 (2B), Hannah Potter 2-4 (2B), Hannah Fryberger 3-5 (2B), Haley Fyant 1-5, Quinn Motichka 1-4, Renault 1-4.

HAVRE – Janae Boles 0-3, Parsons 1-3, Wagner 2-3 (HR), Scout Boucher 1-3, Claire Worm 1-3 (2B), Jacey McDonald 1-3, Payton Howard 1-3 (HR), Madison Tommerup 0-2, Lauren Kato 0-2.

Columbia Falls 9, Polson 6

Polson 120 011 01 — 6 11 4

C. Falls 100 210 14 — 9 12 0

Lauren Vergeront, Camas Renault (4) and Ashley Benson. KJ Schweikert and Samantha Collins. W – Schweikert. L – Renault.

POLSON – Kaelyn Smith 2-4, Laurel Bitterman 2-4 (2B), Benson 1-4, Lydia Dupuis 2-4, Hannah Potter 0-3, Hannah Fryberger 2-3, Haley Fyant 1-2, Addison McColl 0-1, Quinn Motichka 0-3, Renault 1-2.

COLUMBIA FALLS – Katie Price 2-4, Peyton Kehr 0-5, Collins 1-5 (2B), Lottie Ellis 3-5, Schweikert 2-5, Sydney Hovde 3-5 (2 HR), Hannah Freeman 0-3, Morgan Campbell-Queen 0-3, Taylar Putnam 1-4.

Lewistown 6, Glendive 3

Lewistown 110 301 0 — 6 6 2

Glendive 102 000 0 — 3 8 3

Carly Carpenter and Karlie Southworth. Carrie Nagle and Samantha Egan. W – Carpenter. L – Nagle.

LEWISTOWN – Nora Weichel 2-4 (2B), Mikayla Comes 0-2, Southworth 1-4, Dani Gapay 0-4, Kinsey Irvin 1-4 (HR), Hannah Hayes 1-2, Elizabeth Craven 0-2, Val Kolstad 0-1, Gracia Butcher 1-3.

GLENDIVE – Wyniah Mintz 1-4 (HR), Kenna Begger 1-4, Lexi Petersen 2-3 (HR), Egan 1-3, Nagel 2-3, Cheyenne Ryan 0-3, Cheyenne Fisher 0-2, Vail Gibbs 0-1, Syrell Dufner 1-3, Bailey Pearcy 0-3.

Columbia Falls 13, Laurel 9

Laurel 005 000 4 — 9 6 2

C. Falls 001 732 0 — 13 20 0

Ellie Kildahl and Kaitlin Dawes. KJ Schweikert and Samanthan Collins . W – Schweikert. L – Kildahl.

LAUREL – Hailey Maurer 2-4 (2B), Hailey Ogle 1-3, Jade Spooner 0-4, Kaylee Wommack 1-3, Paige Hodges 0-3, Kildahl 0-2, Datkota Boehler 0-1, Kallie Linse 0-2.

COLUMBIA FALLS – Katie Price 1-4, Peyton Kehr 2-4 (2 2B), Collins 2-5, Lottie Ellis 4-5 (HR), Sydney Hovde 4-5 (HR), Schweikert 2-5, Hannah Freeman 1-2, Morgan Cambell-Queen 3-4 (2B), Taylar Putnam 1-3.

Belgrade 15, Lewistown 6

Belgrade 111 602 4 — 15 15 1

Lewistown 003 012 0 — 6 8 3

Shania Neubauer, Judy Taylor (3) and Kindall Bethke. Carly Carpenter, Kinsey Irvin (6) and Karlie Southworth. W - Taylor (7-0). L - Carpenter.

BELGRADE (19-2) - Skyla Neubauer 2-4 (HR), Judy Taylor 1-4, Jordan Branch 2-4 (HR), Ty Atwood 3-4 (2 2B), Bethke 2-4 (HR), Shania Neubauer 2-4, Shaina Krone 1-4, Kalista Pachl 2-4, Anna Cox 0-3, Khiala Rollins 0-1.

LEWISTOWN (18-8) - Nora Weichel 2-3 (HR), Mikayla Comes 2-4, Southworth 0-3, Dani Gapay 0-2, Irvin 2-3 (2B), Hannah Hayes 0-4, Elizabeth Craven 1-2, Val Kolstad 0-1, Abby Gremauz 0-2, Gracia Butler 1-4.