C-Falls wins twice at Laverne Combo

BUTTE — Columbia Falls had its offense firing on Friday, reaching double figures in both their wins at the Laverne Combo softball tournament.

The Wildkats beat Hardin 16-10, then capped their day with a convincing 12-3 win over Laurel behind Demye Rensel’s two home runs and four runs batted in.

Columbia Falls ended the day 15-3 while Laurel had an oh-and-2 Friday. The Locomotives came in 17-2 and lost twice, starting with an 8-3 setback to Florence.

Libby pitched two shutouts Friday, against Butte Central and Lockwood. Ronan won twice, edging Glendive and routing Hardin. Polson split two games, losing to Havre and walloping Dillon.

Columbia Falls 12, Laurel 3

Rensel went 3-for-4, though it was Italia Hoerner’s RBI triple that started the Wildkats (15-3) back from an early 2-0 deficit.

That was the big hit in a four-run second inning; Rensel hit a two-run home run in the third inning; she hit another two-run shot in the fourth inning that made it 11-2.

Haden Peters had three hits, including a triple, and drove in two. 

Bella Mann had two hits, including a triple, for Columbia Falls.

In the circle Maddie Moultry threw five innings, allowing six hits, two walks and two earned runs. She struck out three.

Columbia Falls 16, Hardin 10

Onnika Lawrence hit a home run and double and drove in four runs, leading a 13-hit attack.

Aspen Reid doubled twice for the Wildkats; she had three hits and scored twice while driving in two. Isabella Hoerner had two hits and three RBIs; same with Maddie Moultray.

Moultray threw 2 2-3 scoreless innings, and Hardin — which trailed 12-0 at one point — scored 10 runs against the Kats’ bullpen. 

Leighla Krieger, Aubrey Nedens and Macy Uffelman all homered for the Bulldogs. Krieger drove in four runs.

Libby 16, Butte Central 0

Leah Rusdal homered, drove in two runs and scored twice and the Loggers buried the Maroons under 13 hits, four for extra bases.

Leadoff hitter Mylie Rayome tripled and scored twice for Libby (8-8) and Jaycee Wilson and Rachel Kosters each hit doubles. Lyndee McElmurry had a single and three RBIs.

Carmen Kohler and Auggie Bailey each threw two innings in the circle for Libby, and each allowed two hits. Kohler struck out five Maroons, Bailey two.

Libby 9, Lockwood 0

Carmen Kohler and Paislee MacDonald combined on a three-hit shutout. Kohler gave up all three Lockwood hits but struck out five, in four innings. 

Mylie Rayome had two hits and scored twice. Dakota Allen and Lyndee McElmurry both had doubles and an RBI; McElmurry had two hits and scored twice as well.

Madison Vincent hit a triple for the Loggers.

Ronan 4, Glendive 2

Nikki Kendall threw a six-inning four-hitter to lead Ronan to the win.

Kendall allowed three walks and struck out 10 for the Maidens (12-6).

Ronan went ahead 3-2 on two unearned runs in the fifth inning: A single and two bunts led to one run when a throw was mishandled at third base; Kylee Kelch scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball.

Kailyn Marengo and Kendall hit back-to-back doubles for an insurance run in the sixth inning. Marengo also squeezed home a run in the fourth. 

Ronan 21, Hardin 2

Ally Luedtke led off the game with a solo home run, and Kasey Kelch hit a three-run homer in the first inning as well and finished with six RBIs.

Marengo hit a grand slam in the third inning to put the Maidens up 21-0.

Bailee Woll added a triple for Ronan. Nikki Kendall had four hits, driving in two. She also threw the first two innings in a game that lasted just three innings. She allowed one walk, no runs and fanned four.

Neveah Perez added three hits, three RBIs and scored three times for Polson. Kaydnce Santos also scored three times.

Polson 10, Dillon 2

McKenna Hanson homered, Kailey Smith tripled and drove in three runs and Samantha Rensvold hit two doubles and scored twice for Polson (14-3). 

Smith’s RBI triple put Polson up 2-0 in the first inning, and she hit a two-run single in the Pirates’ four-run fourth. Hanson hit a two-run home run in the second.

Madison Turner threw four innings in the circle, allowing five hits and two runs. She struck out one Beaver. Rensvold threw the fifth and final inning.

Olivia Jore doubled and drove in two runs. Opal Jore scored twice for the Pirates.

Havre 7, Polson 1

Rachel Jette and Bree Hanson homered and Havre’s quick start paved the way to a quick win.

Jette’s three-run homer and Hanson’s solo shot both came in the first inning and gave the Blue Ponies (12-6) all the runs starting pitcher Elle Verploegen needed. In a game shortened to four innings by the tournament time limit, Verploegen allowed four hits, one walk and one run while striking out six.

For Polson, Samantha Rensvold allowed six hits, two walks and seven runs, but just two were earned. She fanned four. Carli Maley had two hits, including a double, and drove in the Pirates’ lone run.