Softball: Wildkats hold off Loggers

COLUMBIA FALLS — Kylie Gjesdal-Davis homered and Addy Bowler tripled during Columbia Falls’ four-run fourth inning, and the Wildkats held off Libby for a 5-4 win in Northwest A softball Thursday.

Gjesdal-Davis' solo homer broke a 1-1 tie and Bowler’s two-out triple put the Kats (3-4) up 4-1; Bowler then scored Columbia Falls’ final run as part of a double steal with Tayler Lingle. 

Libby fought back with Rachel Kosters’ RBI double in the fifth and run-scoring singles from Kosters and Peyton Waggoner in the seventh. That left Waggoner at third as the tying run, but the next Logger flied out to end it. 

Bella Mann hit a solo home run in the second inning for Columbia Falls. Ella Branstetter went the distance in the circle, scattering 11 hits and a walk. She struck out six. 

Kosters had three hits for Libby (2-5), and Dakota Allen had two. Weslee MacDonald scored two runs for the Loggers. Carmen Kohler and Maddi Willis split the pitching, with Willis throwing 2 1-3 innings. She allowed three hits and no runs. 

Polson sweeps Browning 

POLSON — Jaliyah Pierre hit a grand slam and Madison Turner a two-run homeR in the same 13-run inning Thursday, putting a capper on Polson’s doubleheader sweep of Northwest A foe Browning. 

The teams took turns being home, but each game — Polson won by scores of 18-0 and 24-0 — lasted just three innings under the mercy rule. 

Olivia Jore had a double and three runs scored in during the 18-0 win, while Samantha Rensvold held the Lady Indians hitless for three innings, fanning seven. 

In addition to her home run Turner threw all three innings in the 24-0 victory, allowing two hits and a walk. She also fanned seven.