Hoerner, Moultray power Kats to 2 wins in Frenchtown

FRENCHTOWN — Italia Hoerner and Maddie Moultray hit home runs against Havre, and then they both homered again against Libby as the Columbia Falls Wildkats won twice at the Frenchtown Invitational softball tournament Friday.

With Hoerner hitting a three-run shot, the Wildkats (8-3) scored seven runs in the first inning of their 11-3 win over Havre. They then beat Libby 16-4. Neither game lasted seven innings; the Frenchtown tournament, which brought in 15 Class A teams plus two from Class B/C and AA Missoula Hellgate, employs a time limit and run rule on games.

Columbia Falls 11, Havre 3

Hoerner and Moultray both had three hits, and Moultray also threw 1 2-3 innings in the circle. 

Moultray drove in two runs and scored twice; Tayler Lingle had two hits, including a triple, and drove in two; Haden Peters and Annika Reid each hit doubles.

Columbia Falls 16, Libby 4

Demye Rensel’s three-run homer capped an eight-run second inning for the Kats, who trailed 1-0 early.

Moultray and Hoerner added two-run home runs in the third as the gap grew to 15-1.  The game ended after five innings. Moultray went four in the circle, allowing one hit and two walks, with eight strikeouts.

Lingle had two hits and scored twice; Haden Peters doubled and scored twice, and Onnika Lawrence and Reid hit doubles as well.

Madison Vincent had Libby’s lone RBI and one of its four hits.

Libby 9, Stevensville 4

Miley Rayome had three of Libby’s four hits, including a double, stole a base and scored twice. 

Maddie Willis threw all five innings for the Loggers (4-6), scattering 10 hits and allowing four earned runs. She struck out one. The Loggers took advantage of six walks and four errors by Stevensville. The Yellowjackets got a two-run homer from Maddix Yeager.

Billings Central 8, Polson 1

Lydia Todd had three hits, including a double, and drove in three runs for Billings Central, and Allene Johnson gave the Rams all the runs they needed with a two-run, first inning homer.

Polson managed just a third-inning solo homer from Carli Maley against Rams pitcher Gianna Haney, who allowed two hits and four walks in five innings, fanning 11.

Polson 14, Florence 11

The Class B/C Falcons led 7-0, 10-2 and 11-4 before the Pirates won the five-inning slugfest behind home runs from Maley and Olivia Jore.

Leadoff hitter Olivia Coulter had a homer and two doubles for Florence; Hailey Sutton also homered and drove in three runs for the Falcons.

Jore’s two-run homer cut the gap to 11-6 in the third inning; Maley’s two-run shot in the fifth broke an 11-11 tie. Avery Starr, who took over in the circle in the first inning and got the win, walked and scored on Sierra Perez’ RBI single to complete the scoring. Perez had three hits and scored three times. Kailey Smith had three hits, drove in two and scored twice.

Starr allowed eight hits, one walk and five runs in five innings, and struck out 10.

Ronan 21, Corvallis 7

Nikki Kendall hit two home runs and drove in five runs for the Maidens, and teammates Kaydance Santos and Neveah Perez also homered.

Santos also had a triple among three hits and scored three runs; Kaitlyn Marengo doubled and scored three times for Ronan (8-4), which ended the game after three innings.

Ava Loran drove in three runs for the Blue Devils.

Havre 7, Ronan 4

Elle Verploegen threw six solid innings, striking out 13 for Havre, which also got a home run from Jersi Morse and three runs scored from Rachel Jette.

Santos hit a two-run homer  in the sixth inning to cut Havre’s lead to 6-4, but the Maidens got no closer. Ronan pitcher Nikki Kendall was also solid in the circle, allowing five hits, five walks and three earned runs while fanning 12.