Kats go 2-1 on the week

It was up. It was way down. Then it was up again. That’s how the Columbia Falls softball team’s week went.

The Wildkats opened April 17 by walloping Whitefish 26-2. But then April 20, the Kats lost in stunning fashion at home to Libby, 9-1. They rebounded the next day, beating Stevensville, 10-0.

The Libby loss, unfortunately, could have playoff implications. The game was close after two innings. The Kats were down 3-1.

Kathrin Jetty hit an RBI single in the bottom of the second to drive in Madison Sandefer in what turned out to be the Kats’ only run.

Things fell apart in the third for the Kats. They committed three uncharacteristic fielding errors, and with two out, Libby’s Lexi Hageness hit a two-run homer to make it 9-1, as Libby scored six runs in the ugly inning.

The Kats loaded the bases in the bottom of the third with two out, but the rally the Kats have relied on all season long just didn’t happen. Madison Sandefer got out on a force play in the infield, and the inning ended. The Kats never mustered much of a charge after that. They had just two hits for the game.

“We had too many errors, and we didn’t hit the ball,” coach Dave Kehr said.

The problem with the lopsided loss, Kehr noted, is if a playoff berth comes down to run differential, the Kats would have to beat the Lady Loggers by nine runs.

There’s still plenty of softball left to play, but the road won’t be easy. The Kats play Frenchtown twice in May as well as a rematch against Libby and Polson.

On a brighter note, it didn’t take long for the Kats’ bats to return — Shaun Rowe knocked in a grand slam against Stevensville. Jetty also had two doubles in the win, and the Kats had nine hits.

This weekend, the Kats travel to the Frenchtown tournament, where they’re scheduled to play Corvallis and Hamilton on Saturday.