Softball Bravettes sweep Hellgate for first wins of season

Flathead softball picked up its first two wins of the season in emphatic fashion on Saturday against Missoula Hellgate at Kidsports Complex.

The Bravettes (2-6 overall, 1-5 Western AA) run-ruled the Knights 11-1 in Game 1 of the doubleheader and followed with another run-rule victory, this one by a 28-6 margin in three innings, in the nightcap.

“It’s really nice (to get a win),” Flathead coach Jack Foster said. “It’s good for everybody, makes everybody feel better.

“As much as anything, it’s good for their confidence. We had some fun out there and enjoyed the game. Hopefully it’s something we can build on.”

Jayden Russell and Riley Chouinard, the first two batters in Flathead’s order, paved the way for the Bravettes’ offensive outburst in both games.

Russell was a perfect 4 for 4 on the day, including a solo home run in the first game, and scored nine runs. Chouinard produced five hits in eight at-bats, including two doubles, and totaled 10 RBIs.

“They both had really good days getting on base and getting things started,” Foster said. “A lot of other kids chipped in.”

Flathead took big leads quickly in both games.

The Bravettes scored 10 total runs in the first three innings of Game 1. In the following contest, Flathead scored 12 runs in the first inning, six in the second and 10 in the third.

Maitlynn Betts, Flathead’s Game 1 starter, surrendered just one run on five hits and a walk over a five-inning complete game. She struck out eight.

“She throws strikes,” Foster said. “She doesn’t give up freebies much.”

Flathead will look to keep things rolling at 5 p.m. on Monday, when Whitefish visits.

Hellgate 000 10 — 1 5 2

Flathead 244 01 — 11 11 0

WP — Maitlynn Betts. LP — Driessen.

HELLGATE — Starratt 1-3, Kathryn Shipley 2-3, Khasidy Hodge 0-2, Shoshannah Resner 1-1, Nap 0-1, Andrea Lee 0-3, Morelander 0-2, Megan Mann 1-2, Jaiden Resner 0-2, Cailey Kirsch 0-2.

FLATHEAD — Jayden Russell 2-2, Riley Chouinard 2-4, Kaileigh Denna 1-3, Hailey Junk 1-1, Maitlynn Betts 1-2, Kayla Kallis 0-3, Alyssa Cadwalader 1-2, Haylee Learn 0-1, Karissa Comer 1-1, Kate Smith 0-1, Kyann Devera 2-3.

2B — Shipley. Chouinard, Denna, Junk. HR — Russell. RBI — Russell, Chouinard 4, Junk, Betts 2, Comer.

Hellgate 060 — 6 3 4

Flathead (12)6(10) — 28 15 2

WP — Karissa Comer. LP — Freshour.

HELLGATE — Starratt 1-1, Megan Mann 1-2, Shoshannah Resner 0-1, Freshour 0-2, Cailey Kirsch 0-2, Taylor 0-1, Morelander 0-2, Zahn 0-2, Khasidy Hodge 1-1.

FLATHEAD — Jayden Russell 2-2, Riley Chouinard 3-4, Kaileigh Denna 3-4, Hailey Junk 2-3, Karissa Comer 1-1, Haylee Learn 0-1, Kayla Kallis 2-3, Kate Smith 2-4, Alyssa Cadwalader 0-2.

2B — Chouinard, Denna 2, Junk, Kallis, Smith. 3B — Junk. RBI — Mann 2, Hodge. Russell 3, Chouinard 6, Denna, Comer 2, Kallis 2, Smith 2.

Butte 4, Glacier 2

Glacier 15, Butte 2 (5)

Glacier bounced back from a loss in the opener to clobber Butte in the back end of a doubleheader.

“We had a lot of hits in that first game, but we just produced a lot more runs in the second game in terms of stringing hits together,” Glacier coach Abby Connolly said.

The Wolfpack (5-4, 3-3) totaled seven hits in the opener but could only push two runs across. Glacier flipped the script in the nightcap, however, posting 15 runs on only nine hits.

Kynzie Mohl provided a jolt from the leadoff spot, homering in her team’s first at-bat in both games. She was 3 for 6 on the day, but reached base five times.

Alivia Atlee led Glacier with five hits in the doubleheader.

Allee Meyer totaled four RBIs.

Sophomore pitcher Sage Vanterpool went the distance for Glacier in both games, allowing six runs in 12 innings of work.

“Only allowing six runs against a tough team in 12 innings is impressive,” Connolly said.

Glacier is back in action at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday against visiting Missoula Big Sky and Missoula Sentinel, respectively.

Butte 300 100 0 — 4 3 2

Glacier 101 000 0 — 2 7 3

WP — K. McClafferty. LP — Sage Vanterpool.

BUTTE — B. Ossello 0-4, J. Maroney 0-3, B. Tierney 0-2, T. Huff 1-3, K. McClafferty 2-3, K. Serriter 0-2, B. Raiha 0-1, E. Cox 0-3, T. Ericson 0-2, J. Cleveland 0-1, M. Joseph 0-2, K. O’Brien 0-1.

GLACIER — Kynzie Mohl 2-4, Addie Labrum 0-3, Sophie Smith 1-3, Alivia Atlee 2-3, Allee Meyer 2-4, Maddie Johnson 0-4, Sage Vanterpool 0-3, Emma Anderson 0-1, Jenn Wallace 0-2, Hallie Nikunen 0-1, Meg Hornby 0-3.

2B — Meyer. HR — Huff, McClasserty. Mohl. RBI — Huff 3, McClasserty. Mohl, Meyer.

Butte 020 00 — 2 8 2

Glacier 541 5x — 15 9 2

WP — Sage Vanterpool. LP — K. O’Brien.

BUTTE — B. Ossello 1-2, T. Ericson 0-1, J. Maroney 0-2, M. Joseph 1-1, B. Tierney 0-1, T. Huff 1-3, K. Serriter 1-1, M. Carpenter 0-2, E. Cox 2-3, M. Tutty 0-3, J. Cleveland 1-2, B. Raiha 1-2.

GLACIER — Kynzie Mohl 1-2, Addie Labrum 1-1, Emma Ritter 0-0, Sophie Smith 0-2, Halle Schroeder 0-0, Alivia Atlee 3-4, Allee Meyer 1-3, Maddie Johnson 0-3, Sage Vanterpool 1-2, Jenn Wallace 0-2, Hallie Nikunen 1-1, Meg Hornby 0-2.

2B — Vanterpool. HR — Mohl, Labrum. RBI — Ossello, Raiha. Mohl, Labrum 2, Smith, Atlee, Meyer 3, Vanterpool, Nikunen 2.

Libby 10, Ronan 0

LIBBY — Libby gave Khalyn Hageness plenty of early support, and the senior pitcher dazzled through a six-inning, complete-game win over Ronan.

Hageness yielded just three hits and two walks over six innings of shutout ball. The all-state hurler struck out four.

Libby (4-3, 3-2 Northwest A) scored five runs in the first inning and added another in the second to give Hageness ample cushion.

“We hit the ball well today,” Libby coach Dean Thompson said. “Ronan has been hitting and had close games with Polson and Hamilton. We kept them off the board.”

Emily Carvey doubled three times and drove in two runs. Jayden Winslow notched a game-high five RBIs. Sammee Bradeen added two hits and a pair of RBIs.

Libby travels to Flathead at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Ronan 000 000 — 0 3 1

Libby 510 013 — 10 12 1

WP — Khalyn Hageness. LP — G. Wirz.

RONAN — G Wirz 0-3, E. Corlie 0-3, K. Santos 2-3, M. Mock 0-2, M. Clairont 0-2, M. Jackson 0-2, J. Hakes 0-2, M. Adams 1-2, C. Clairmont 0-2.

LIBBY — Linsey Walker 2-4, Khalyn Hageness 2-3, Jayden Winslow 2-4, Emily Carvey 3-3, Sammee Bradeen 2-3, Haylee Cannon 1-2, Shayla Gallagher 0-3, McKenzie Proffitt 0-3, Samantha Miller 0-2, B. Thomas 0-1.

2B — Carvey 3, Hageness. 3B — Winslow. RBI — Winslow 5, Carvey 2, Bradeen 2, Proffitt.

Missoula Loyola 14,

Eureka 4

MISSOULA — Missoula Loyola dismantled visiting Eureka in a game shortened to six innings by the 10-run rule.

Loyola scored in every inning, and its big outburst came in a five-run third.

Eureka plays Deer Lodge at St. Ignatius at 4 p.m. Friday.

Eureka 102 010 — 4 4 5

Loyola 225 122 — 14 14 3

WP — C. Goodman. L — Twigg.

Hits — Eureka: Schmidt, Bernhard, Morgan, Shea. Loyola: N. Goodman 2, Hickethier 2, Tipp 2, Miltko 2, C. Goodman, Badaruddin, Libel, McHugh, Nicholson, Solomon.

RBIs — Eureka: Shea 2, Hammack, Hall. Loyola: N. Goodman 2, Hickethier 2, Libel 2, Badaruddin, Tipp, McHugh, Hall, Solomon.

Correction

A story in Saturday’s Daily Inter Lake stated Libby softball defeated Polson earlier this season. Polson has won both meetings this season.

The Pirates are 5-2 overall and undefeated in Northwest A league play at 4-0. Libby is 4-3 and 3-2 against Northwest A opponents.