C-Falls softball wins A state title over Billings Central
BILLINGS — The Kardiac Kats just went back-to-back.
Columbia Falls defeated Billings Central 9-6 to claim their second consecutive Class A softball championship.
The Wildkats came into Saturday needing two straight wins for a state title, but after a 7-2 semifinal loss to Billings Central the road got more complicated.
A win against Polson put Columbia Falls back into the title game for the second consecutive season, needing a pair of wins against the unbeaten Rams.
Game one went their way after an offensive barrage the Wildkats claimed a 14-3 victory in five innings, forcing a winner-takes-title game two.
Maddie Moultray provided a three-run blast in the sixth inning to help put Columbia Falls in front for good. She then shut down the Rams batters as the Wildcats claimed the crown.
Championship
Columbia Falls 14, Billings Central 3
Columbia Falls 9, Billings Central 6
Bella Mann hit a grand slam and drove in six runs as Columbia Falls forced a run rule finish in game one of the State A softball championship Saturday.
Mann spearheaded both of Columbia Falls big innings, driving in two runners with a second inning double as the Wildkats pulled out a 6-1 lead. Then her grand slam helped Columbia Falls score seven in the fifth inning putting the run rule into effect.
Onnika Lawrence and Haden Peters each added three RBI’s in the game, both hitting homers.
Moultray threw four innings, allowing three runs on three hits. She fanned six. Peters finished out the final inning.
Gianna Haney went the distance in the circle, allowing nine hits and striking out seven.
Peters provided an offensive spark for the Wildkats in game two, going 4-5 with three RBIs. She hit a solo shot in the seventh to make it 9-6.
Moultray went the distance in the circle striking out seven batters and only allowing four hits. Her sixth inning homer helped extend the lead to 8-4.
Gianna Haney pitched a complete game for the Rams, allowing eight hits and striking out 10.
Third Place
Columbia Falls 10, Polson 8
Moultray pitched a complete game and hit a pair of home runs as Columbia Falls defeated Polson to advance to the championship..
Moultray’s first homer helped to put the Wildkats in front 4-1 after one inning. Her second blast put Columbia Falls in front for good in the fifth inning, 7-6.
Peters hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning to extend the lead out to 10-6.
McKenna Hanson hit a pair of big flies for the Pirates, one in the fourth to give Polson a 6-5 lead. The second came in the seventh as Polson looked to rally.
Samantha Rensvold threw four innings for the Pirates, allowing seven runs on nine hits. She struck out two.
Avery Starr finished the final two innings for Polson. She allowed three runs on two hits and fanned four.
Moultray allowed eight runs on six hits, while striking out 14 Pirate batters.
Polson 7, Frenchtown 3
Avery Starr hit a pair of homers – a three-run shot in the first and a solo blast in the third — as Polson eliminated Frenchtown Saturday.
Starr also started for the Pirates, allowing one earned run on six hits. She finished with six strikeouts.
Olivia Jore hit an RBI single in the first inning as Polson took a 4-0 lead, McKenna Hanson extended the advantage with an RBI single in the second.
Parker Robinson hit a solo home run for the Broncs in the fourth to make it a 6-1 ball game.
Polson 17, Laurel 6
McKenna Hanson picked up three hits in the first three innings and Polson cruised past Laurel in a loser out game Saturday.
Hanson hit a solo home run in the first, a part of a four-run inning for the Pirates. Polson added one in the second for a 5-3 lead.
Laurel scored three runs in each of the first two innings, including an Emerson Gunther single in the second that helped the Locomotives take the lead.
Hanson’s two-run single in the third put the Pirates back in front and they did not look back, adding ten runs over the final three innings.
Starr finished the final six innings in relieve of Samantha Rensvold for the Pirates, allowing just one run on six hits.
Billings Central 7, Columbia Falls 2
Lydia Todd doubled in a four-run second inning and Billings Central pushed past Columbia Falls in the winners’ bracket semifinal.
Allene Johnson added an RBI single in the second.
Billings Central added three more runs in the fifth to take a 7-0 lead and that is all pitcher Gianna Haney needed.
Haney threw a one-hit complete game, allowing just two runs and striking out 11. At the plate she picked up one hit and scored a run.
Maddie Moultray went the distance for the Wildkats, allowing seven runs on seven hits. She fanned 13.
Addy Bowler and Bella Mann picked up the RBIs for Columbia Falls during a two-run sixth inning.