C-Falls walks off Frenchtown

COLUMBIA FALLS — Bella Mann’s one-out RBI single tied the score in the seventh inning, and then Onnika Lawrence drew a bases-loaded walk to cap Columbia Falls’ 3-2 win over Frenchtown in Class A softball Friday.

The rally rescued the Wildkats’ Maddie Moultray from being a tough-luck pitcher: She allowed just four hits, two walks and one earned run — with eight strikeouts — in seven innings, but still trailed 2-1 before her team’s final at-bat. 

Italia Hoerner got the inning going with a single, and Monica Carpenter, Mann and Tayler Lingle all followed with one-out base hits, knotting the game and leaving the bases loaded for Lawrence, who walked on four pitches to bring in Carpenter.

The Wildkats (6-3) struck out four times against Frenchtown starter Ryan Lucier in the first inning, but still took a 1-0 lead thanks to a dropped third strike, two wild pitches and an error. Lucier scattered six hits and two walks and fanned 10.

Two singles, a passed ball and a squeeze bunt by Alexis Godin got the Southwest A Broncs (5-2) in front with two runs in the third.