Feisty Bravettes drop pair in Helena
HELENA — The Flathead Bravettes pitched tough one game, but their bats didn’t warm up enough in losses to Helena Capital and Helena High Saturday.
In the first game Lacie Franklin limited Capital to seven hits and two earned runs, but the Bruins pulled out a 4-0 win. Capital leadoff hitter Anna Cockhill started the game with a solo homer and the other big hit was a two-run double by Taylor Sayers.
Helena High beat the Bravettes 10-3 in the late game.
Bruins’ pitcher Kathryn Emmert allowed just five hits, walked three, hit a batter and struck out five. Franklin had no walks for Flathead and fanned four.
In the second game Mackenzie Brandt sparked a 3-run fifth inning for Flathead with an RBI single; the Bravettes used a wild pitch and a squeeze bunt to close to 4-3, before the Helena Bengals pulled away.
Kylee Gardipee had a double, a homer and drove in five for the Bengals.
“Lacie Franklin pitched a great first game,” said Flathead coach Jack Foster, whose club is 2-11 overall and 1-9 in Western AA games. “We had our chances, and just couldn’t get the big hit with runners on.
“In the second game Macey McIlhargey pitched well, (and) they got on her late. We played well today and gave ourselves chances to win both games.”
The Bravettes’ next game is Thursday at KidSport against Missoula Hellgate.
First game
Flathead 000 000 0 - 0 5 3
Capital 100 021 x - 4 7 1
Lacie Franklin and Laynee Vessar. Kathryn Emmert and Taylor Sayers.
FLATHEAD — Mackenzie Brandt 2-4, Ava Besson 1-4, Sawyer VanCampen 0-3, Kaidyn Lake 1-3, Vessar 1-2, Macey McIlhargey 0-2, Franklin 0-1, Ellie Eve 0-3, Kinsey Lake 0-3.
HELENA CAPITAL — Anna Cockhill 1-3, Belle Glowacki 0-2, K Rhodes 1-1, Emmert 0-3, Sayers 2-3, Kate Drynan 0-3, Riley Chandler 1-3, Erin Hirschi 1-2, C Blaz 0-2, J Burgoyne 1-01, A Miller 0-3.
2B — Brandt 2, Sayers. HR — Cockhill. RBIs — Sayers 2, Cockhill, Burgoyne.
Second game
Flathead 000 030 0 - 3 3 0
Helena 000 442 x - 10 14 0
McIlhargey, Besson (5) and Vessar. Riley Schlepp and Kendall Klemp.
Flathead — Brandt 1-2, Besson 0-1, VanCampbel 0-3, Kai Lake 0-2, K Lake 0-2, Vessar 0-3, McIlhargey 1-3, Franklin 0-3, Eve 0-1, Brynn Mailman 1-3.
HELENA — Maloree English 1-4, Ashley Koening 1-4, Kendall Klemp 3-4, B Richardson 2-4, Kalley May 2-3, M Campbell 2-2, Kylee Gardipee 2-3, Schlepp 1-3, K McKay 0-3.
2B — Kend.Klemp 2, Gardipee, May, Richardson. HR — Gardipee. RBIs — Brandt, Besson, Gardipee 5, May 3, Richardson, Campbell.