Wolfpack bows out of State AA softball
MISSOULA — The Glacier Wolfpack wrapped up their 2022 season Saturday, splitting a pair of loser-out contests at the State AA softball tournament at Fort Missoula.
Kenadie Goudette put the Wolfpack ahead for good in its 4-1 win over Great Falls, before Glacier fell to defending AA champion Belgrade 7-1.
The Pack ended up 12-11.
Billings Senior advanced to the title game unbeaten, winning the winner’s semifinal over Billings West, 3-1. Helena Capital advanced through the loser’s bracket, beating Great Falls CMR 6-3. The Bruins face West Saturday morning, loser takes third, winner to the championship against the Broncs.
Glacier 4, Great Falls 1
Goudette’s two-run single in the first inning made it 2-0, and that was enough; Ella Farrell threw five innings of sparking relief, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out four.
Glacier got its third run with a double steal, with Brooklyn Imperato taking second and Teagan Powell coming home from third, in the fourth inning. In the next frame Powell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing in a run.
“It’s always really tough to beat a good team three times this season,” Glacier coach Abby Connolly said. “We were able to do that today against Great Falls, with a pretty well balanced effort by our team.”
Goudette, Farrell, Alli Kernan and Sammie Labrum all had two hits.
Great Falls 010 000 0 - 1 6 0
Glacier 200 110 x - 4 12 1
T Ehnes and A McDina. Alli Kernan, Ella Farrell (3) and Brooklyn Imperato.
GREAT FALLS — A Bloominger 1-3, A Jones 2-4, E Galloway 0-4, E Newmack 0-2, Ehnes 0-3, H Lins 0-2, Boland 0-0, D Timboe 2-3, A McDina 0-3, D Seger 1-3.
GLACIER — Brooklyn Imperato 1-3, Sammie Labrum 2-4, Emma Cooke 1-4, Kenadie Goudette 2-4, Paishance Haller 0-3, Olivia Gibbons 1-1, Fafrell 2-3, Zoey Allen 0-2, Morgan Vivian 0-1, Teagan Powell 1-2, Kernan 2-3.
RBIs — Seger, Goudette 2, Powell.
Belgrade 7, Glacier 1
Belgrade played errorless ball, while scoring its first run on a Glacier miscue.
A couple batters later Tycelee Bowler hit a three-run home run for a 4-0 first-inning lead.
“They’re very disciplined,” Connolly said of the Panthers, who later bowed out of the tournament with an 8-7 loss to Great Falls CMR. “Actually this was the first time our programs ever played.
“They played some small ball early, got up on us, and then hit a couple home runs. We just didn't have the firepower to answer.”
Starting pitcher Arin Easton hit a two-run homer in the sixth for Belgrade.
Sammie Labrum hit a solo shot for the Wolfpack’s lone run in the fourth. She and Farrell each had two hits.
“I’m just really proud of how we battled at the end,” Connolly said. “Just very thankful for our seniors (Labrum, Kernan and Powell) and their contribution and legacy to our program.”
Glacier 000 100 0 - 1 7 4
Belgrade 400 102 x - 7 9 0
Kernan and Imperato. Arin Easton, Tayler Thomas (4) and K Robinson.
GLACIER — Imperato 0-3, Labrum 2-3, Cooke 1-3, Goudette 1-3, Haller 1-3, Farrell 2-3, Allen 0-3, Powell 0-3, Kernan 0-2, Bella Hodous 0-0.
BELGRADE — Thomas 3-3, Easton 1-4, Robinson 1-3, Shaylis Osler 2-4, Tycelee Bowler 1-3, Brooklyn Ragland 0-3, Randi Widdicombe 0-2, Ella Seaman 0-2, A Acorn 1-3, A Lund 0-0.
HR — Labrum, Bowler, Easton. RBIs — Labrum, Easton 2, Osler 2, Bowler 2.