Fisher pitches, hits Polson to state title

BUTTE — They didn’t announce a most valuable player at the first-ever Montana All-Class State Baseball Tournament, but if they did, it would likely be Espn Fisher.

The Polson junior threw a solid seven innings Saturday, helped his own cause with a bases-loaded triple and is a big reason the Pirates are state champs with a 10-4 win over Whitefish.

Under hazy skies at 3 Legends Stadium, Fisher struck out nine while the Pirates (19-3) beat the Bulldogs (18-3) for the second time in two matchups this season.

“He was a dude today,” said Brad Fisher, Polson’s head coach and Espn’s dad. “We talked about it — we talked plenty of times about what our goal was at the end of the year. He knew he was going to get on the mound and shove. And hit. I’m really proud of him.”

Fisher closed out Polson’s 6-4 first-round win on Thursday, and on Saturday reached the Montana High School Association pitch limit — 110 pitches — on his first delivery to Whitefish 3-hole hitter Jake McIntyre with two out in the seventh.

McIntyre flew out to center to end it.

“We needed to do a better job getting deeper in counts,” offered Whitefish coach Kyler Blades. “But he didn’t let us. He pounded the zone and kept off-balance. What an awesome job.

“That last pitch was his limit — 110. I know he can finish the batter and everything, but throwing 45 pitches on Thursday, catching Friday, throwing 110 today — wow.”

The Bulldogs got to the final by throwing their two best pitchers, Jacob Polumbus and Ty Schwaiger, the first two days. Each threw a complete game; Schwaiger, an extremely hard thrower, was backed by 14 runs.

That left Whitefish to throw a “bullpen game,” at Polson Saturday. Put another way, it was a catcher’s duel between Fisher and the Bulldogs’ everyday backstop, Fynn Ridgeway.

Ridgeway fanned two Pirates in the first inning but walked three in the second. With two outs, Fisher came up and stroked a fastball to the wall in right-center, putting his team ahead 4-1.

“I knew it was coming because last at-bat, he pumped three right by me,” Fisher said. “I was like, ‘He might throw it again.’ I just sat back, threw my hands at it and hit it pretty good.”

Fisher soon came in on a wild pitch and it was 5-1. After Dawson DuMont drew yet another walk, Ridgeway gave way to reliever Clayton Godsey.

Polson kept pushing: Jarrett Wilson hit an RBI triple in the fourth inning; DuMont hit a two-run triple in the sixth. DuMont came in on Cody Haggard’s single for a 10-4 lead.

In between the Bulldogs put up three runs in the fifth, getting four straight two-out singles off Fisher. Schwaiger’s two-run liner up the middle cut the gap to 6-4, but Fisher then settled down.

“We just tried to keep it positive and said, hey, let’s just go win the inning,” said Brad Fisher. “Keep doing what you do and it will work out for us.”

Maddox Muller scored twice for Whitefish. Ridgeway recorded four of his five outs on the mound via strikeout. Schwaiger, who threw 88 pitches Friday, had two of his team’s eight hits.

“We went with our guy (Friday),” Blades noted. “And we were confident in Fynn today (but) he’s only pitched a couple times all year. And you know, a lot of these guys were put in positions they haven’t been in before. Our second baseman hasn’t played in 3-4 years, our third baseman hadn’t played in 3-4 years — and we had a blast around each other.

“And that’s what it’s about at the end of the day, having a lot of fun playing baseball.”

Quite a few of these players will turn around and play Legion ball: Whitefish feeds the Glacier Twins, and Polson does the same for the Mission Valley Mariners. “Matter of fact, we’re going to start tomorrow,” said Brad Fisher, who coaches the Mariners.

Twenty-one teams began the MHSA’s inaugural baseball season and eight made it to Butte. Two Northwest Montana teams battled for gold.

“This was overall just such a positive thing for baseball, in the Flathead Valley and the community,” Blades said. “I am humbled and blessed to be a part of it, and can’t wait to see it grow.”

Whitefish 100 030 0 - 4 6 1

Polson 140 113 x 10 9 0

Fynn Ridgeway, Clayton Godsey (2), Logan Kunz (7) and Jacob Polumbus, Ridgeway (2). Espn Fisher and Holden Emerson.

WHITEFISH — Polumbus 1-3, Maddox Muller 1-3, Jake McIntyre 1-4, Ty Schwaiger 2-3, Godsey 0-3, Ridgeway 0-2, Kunz 0-3, Josiah Ruther 0-3, Mack McLaughlin 1-2, Christian Schwaderer 0-1.

POLSON — Jarrett Wilson 1-3, Fisher 2-4, Dawson DuMont 2-3, Cody Haggard 2-4, Emerson 1-4, Aiden Gfroerer 1-3, Landon Pablo 0-3, Cymian Kauley 0-2, Landon Shoemake 0-1.

3B — Fisher, Wilson, DuMont. RBIs — Schwaiger 2, McIntyre, Fisher 3, DuMont 2, Wilson, Haggard, Gfroerer.

Belgrade 10, Hamilton 7

Trailing 7-2 and with coach Jason Goligoski ejected, the Hamilton Broncs put up five runs to tie the game at 7-all in the fourth — only to see Belgrade pull away to capture third place.

Collin Delph went the distance for the Panthers, scattering nine hits and two walks. He fanned four. Just one of the Broncs’ runs was earned.

Delph also tripled and drove in two runs for Belgrfade.

For Hamilton, Jacob Westberry had three hits and drove in three runs.