Polson advances; C-Falls splits in state A softball

POLSON — Polson (18-4) will face Hamilton/Darby (17-3) today at 1 p.m. with the winner just two victories away from claiming the Class A state softball tournament title after Thursday’s action.

Polson, which had a first-round bye, topped Lewistown 11-1 in the second round.

Top seeds Belgrade and Frenchtown/Hamilton (16-6), state runners-up a year ago, both won.

Top seed Hardin (17-3) lost in the second round.

Polson, down 1-0 after the first inning, broke the game open with a six-run third. The Pirates added a run in the fourth and fifth and two in the sixth to finish it.

Polson had 17 hits, led by Josie Caye, Kaylanna DesJarlais and Kobbey Smith, all three went 3 for 4.

Caye and Lexy Orien, 2 for 4, homered and Savanna Carpentier doubled.

Orien finished with four RBIs.

Lauren Vergeront pitched 5 2/3 innings. She allowed two hits, both doubles, struck out seven and walked three batters.

Lewistown 100 000 — 1 2 2

Polson 006 112 — 11 17 1

WP—Lauren Vergeront; LP—Jessica Morgan.

LEWISTOWN — Kacee Gordon 0-3, Morgan 0-3, Macy Mangold 0-1, Bailey Castillo 2-3, Hailey Welsh 0-3, Libbey Jenness 0-2, Madison Affolder 0-3, Chelsea Jensen 0-1, Jacy Ayers 0-2.

POLSON — Josie Caye 3-4, Kaylanna DesJarlais 3-4, Paige Noyes 2-4, Lexy Orien 2-4, Savanna Carpentier 1-4, Vergeront 0-3, Katelyne Druyvestein 1-1, Kobbey Smith 3-4, Lisa Costilla 0-4, Kallie Finkbeiner 2-4.

2B—Castillo (2), Carpentier; HR—Caye, Orien; RBIs—Castillo; Caye, Orien (4). Smith (2), Finkbeiner (2).

Columbia Falls 4, Stevensville 3

Belgrade 10, Columbia Falls 0

POLSON — The top two hitters in the batting order for Columbia Falls (13-10) both homered and Savvy Ellis went the distance in the circle as Columbia Falls slipped by Stevensville (14-6) in their opener.

Hitting the homers were Kaylee Ashe, 1 for 3, and Alyssa Blankenship, 3 for 4, who finished with two RBIs.

Graceanne Sevesind, 2 for 3, was the other top hitter for the Wildkats, who totaled eight.

Ellis checked Stevensville on three hits. She walked six batters and struck out four.

Stevensville led seven runners on base to six for Columbia Falls.

The win advanced Columbia Falls to the next round against two-time defending state champion Belgrade. The Panthers, who had a first-round bye, rolled to an easy victory.

Belgrade scored in every inning, but a five-run second followed by three more in the third put the game away.

Madie Krieger, 1 for 2, homered and drove in three runs for Belgrade.

Panthers pitcher Erin Elgas checked Columbia Falls on four singles. She did not walk a batter and fanned nine.

Belgrade (20-0) has won 39 straight games. The Panthers, who move up to Class AA for the next school year, have been to state 13 straight times.

Belgrade is back in action today at 1 p.m.

Columbia Falls (13-11) slips into loser-out play today at 11 a.m. versus Miles City.

The tournament ends Saturday.

Stevensville 020 000 1 — 3 3 0

Columbia Falls 210 000 1— 4 8 1

WP—Savvy Ellis; LP—Ashlin Hiller.

STEVENSVILLE — Kaylee Berning 0-4, Syd Paul 0-3, Haley Kampka 1-3, Hiller 1-4, Dani Trangmore 0-2, Taylor Springer 1-3, Mikayla Newman 0-1, Maddie Sims 0-2, Cassi Kopsa 0-1.

COLUMBIA FALLS —Kaylee Ashe 1-3, Alyssa Blankenship 3-4, Trista Cowan 0-2, Graceanne Sevesind 2-3, Ryley Kehr 0-1, Isabell Johnson 1-3, Chloe Kienas 0-3, McKenna Remsel 0-3, Jazzy Marino 0-2, Ellis 1-1, Abbie Darsow 0-0.

3B—Kampka; HR—Ashe, Blankenship; RBIs—Kampka, Kopsa; Ashe, Blankenship (2).

Columbia Falls 000 00 — 0 4 3

Belgrade 153 1x — 10 7 0

WP—Erin Elgas; LP—Ellis.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Ashe 0-3, Blankenship 1-2, Cowan 0-2, Sevesind 0-2, Kehr 1-2, Johnson 0-2, Kienas 1-2, Remsel 1-2, Ellis 0-2.

BELGRADE — Kenna Thomas 1-1, Maddie Tomasetti 1-1, Madi Krieger 1-2, Olivia Cook 1-2, Lanie Morgan 0-3, Haylee Curry 1-2, Sheridan Smith 0-1 Hazel Eaton 2-3, Ellie Milesnick 0-2, Kamie Gorrell 0-1.

HR—Krieger; RBIs—Thomas, Tomasetti (2), Krieger (3),Cook, Gorrell.

Thursday’s Scores

First Round

Polson, Frenchtown/Alberton, Hardin, Belgrade — byes

Lewistown 7, Miles City 3

Hamilton/Darby 9, Ronan 7

Columbia Falls 4, Stevensville 3

Laurel 10, Livingston 6

Second Round

Polson 11, Lewiston 1

Hamilton/Darby 2, Hardin 1

Belgrade 10, Columbia Falls 0

Frenchtown/Alberton 4, Laurel 2

Today

Winners’ Bracket

1 p.m. — Polson vs. Hamilton/Darby

1 p.m. — Belgrade vs. Frenchtown/Alberton

Loser-Out Games

9 a.m. — Lewistown vs. Stevensville

9 a.m. — Livingston vs. Hardin

11 a.m. — Columbia Falls vs. Miles City

11 a.m. — Ronan vs. Laurel