Rowe tosses no-hitter; shuts out Libby
Shaun Rowe and Renae Nelson collide on a pop fly to right against Libby Tuesday. Neither player was injured in the wreck and the Kats had an impressive victory against the Loggers.
Morgan Rowe has come into her own in the pitching circle.
The Columbia Falls junior tossed a no-hitter as the Wildkats blanked Browning 10-0 Monday in a softball make-up game. Rowe pitched a 3-hitter as C-Falls shut out defending Class A state champion Libby 5-0 Tuesday.
C-Falls suffered its first loss of the season last Thursday as Polson posted an 11-3 win in Columbia Falls.
The Wildkats go to 3-1 in Western A play going into the Frenchtown Tournament this weekend. C-Falls faces Hamilton and Corvallis on Friday, and plays Anaconda and Frenchtown Saturday.
Rowe struck out nine Browning batters and allowed only two baserunners — one on a walk and another on an error.
She fanned six Libby batters and walked only one.
"She's working hard on starting ahead of batters, and then she can mix it up," C-Falls coach Dave Kehr said of Rowe's pitching of late. "She's maturing as a pitcher … Libby is a good hitting team."
C-Falls had five of its seven hits against the Lady Loggers in a four-run third inning. After a bunt single by Renae Nelson, Tia Yaeger and Amanda Milliard had singles. Amber James walked, then Kayla Stinger singled.
Yaeger was 2-for-4 for the Wildkats. Yaeger, Milliard and Stinger had RBIs. James was on base three times — all on walks.
"Tia is hitting the ball extremely well," Kehr said of Yaeger.
C-Falls had only one error in each of this week's wins.
"Defensively we're playing well. We're finding a lineup," Kehr said.
Nicky Lapka was 2-for-4 for Libby. Taylor Armstrong took the loss in the circle.
C-Falls led Browning 6-0 after two innings, and the game ended in the six via the 10-run rule.
The Wildkats had 11 hits. Yaeger was 3-for-3 and scored four runs. Rowe was 3-for-3. James went 3-for-4 with two triples and drove in four runs.
Polson built a 10-0 lead in the fifth inning against C-Falls. The only Wildkat runs came in the bottom of the sixth.
Cassidee Skiles was 2-for-3 with two doubles for C-Falls. Nelson also had two hits.
Charlee Jensen pitched the win, allowing five hits. Rowe took the loss, giving up 13 hits.
Staci Benson was 3-for-5 with two RBIs for Polson. Rochelle Woods and Liz Simshaw had two hits each.
Polson 314 110 1 - 11 13 0
C. Falls 000 003 0 - 3 5 2
Charlee Jensen and Kayla Duford; Morgan Rowe and Amber James. WP — Jensen. LP — Rowe (1-1).
POLSON — Staci Benson 3-5, Susan Perez-Tenas 0-5, Sarah Newton 1-4, Rochelle Woods 2-3, Sallie Sams 1-3, Dakota Peterson 0-1, Duford 1-3, Liz Simshaw 2-4, Jensen 2-4, Kodi Woods 0-4.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Renae Nelson 1-4, Tia Yaeger 0-4, Amanda Milliard 1-3, James 0-2, Kayla Stinger 0-3, Cassidee Skiles 2-3, Shaun Rowe 0-2, M. Rowe 0-2, Cedar Smith 0-3, Tessa Cowan 0-0.
Browning 000 000 - 0 0 3
C. Falls 330 112 - 10 11 1
Alyssa Hodson and Sara Hora; Rowe and James. WP — Rowe. LP — Hodson.
BROWNING — Shanelle Skunkcap 0-3, Taylor Kennerly 0-3, Kenzie Wellman 0-2, Ashilynn Fish 0-2, Sarah Hora 0-2, Alyssa Hodson 0-2, Milynn Lazyboy 0-2, Destini Ell 0-2, Ashton Smith 0-1.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Nelson 1-3, Yaeger 3-3, Milliard 0-3, James 3-4, Stinger 1-4, Skiles 0-1, Cowan 0-3, M. Rowe 3-3, Smith 0-2.
Libby 000 000 0 - 0 3 1
C. Falls 004 010 x - 5 7 0
Taylor Armstrong and Kat Wilson; Rowe and James. WP — Rowe. LP — Armstrong.
LIBBY — Amber Brugham 0-3, Alysha Martin 1-3, Nicky Lapka 2-3, Jordan Refsland 0-3, Candace Hendrickson 0-3, Jamie Gilden 0-3, Lexi Hagness 0-2, Wilson 0-3, LaRona Lusher 0-2.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Nelson 1-3, Yaeger 2-4, Milliard 1-3, James 0-0, Stinger 1-3, Skiles 0-3, S. Rowe 1-3, M. Rowe 1-3, Smith 0-3.