Kats down Browning 21-0 for first win of season, drop two
It was an up and down week for the Wildkat softball team as Columbia Falls lost their home opener to Libby 12-2 Wednesday before bouncing back with a 21-0 win over Browning at home Friday afternoon and then suffered a 23-11 loss to Polson at home Monday.
The Kats struggled at the plate and in the field Wednesday as the Lady Loggers scored 12 runs on 14 hits while the Kats defense committed four errors. Libby starting pitcher Khalyn Hageness held the Kats to just two runs on three hits, highlighted by a second-inning solo home run by shortstop Ryley Kehr. Raychel Hoerner provided the other two hits for the Kats in the contest, including an RBI single to drive in Graceanne Sevesind in the third inning.
The Kats bounced back in a big way against Browning Friday, scoring 21 runs on 23 hits in just three innings, including a two-run home run by Trista Cowan in the second inning and a grand slam by Kehr in the third. Six Kats (Kehr, Hoerner, Kaylee Ashe, Kennedy Payne, Chloe Kienas and Abbey Underdahl) had perfect outings at the plate in the contest as the Columbia Falls hitters combined to go 23 for 27.
Cowan picked up the win for the Kats in the circle, giving up a lone hit the the game’s leadoff batter before striking out five the final six batters she faced in two innings of work.
Underdahl pitched the third inning for the Kats, walking one and striking out two.
The Kats sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning, scoring six runs on five hits, including a 2-RBI single by Kehr and a another 2-RBI single from Ashe. Columbia Falls sent 14 batters to the plate in the bottom of the second, adding eight more runs, including the home run by Cowan. Five of the first six Kats batters singled in the bottom of the third before Kehr’s grand slam cleared the bases with no outs to push the lead to 21-0.
The Kats fell behind early against the Lady Pirates Monday as Polson sent 16 batters to the plate and scored 12 runs in the top of the first inning. Columbia Falls answered with six in the bottom of the inning but never came any closer as Polson picked up the victory.
Cowan was 3-4 for the Kats in the loss while Hoerner was 2-4 with two doubles and an RBI. Sevesind and Payne each batted in two runs and Ashe had one RBI.
The Kats will be at the Frenchtown tournament this weekend.
Polson 12 3 2 3 3 — 23 18 4
Columbia Falls 6 0 1 2 2 — 11 13 5
WP — Vanessa Kent. LP — Trista Cowan.
POLSON — Kaelyn Smith 2-5, Marina Mayorga 2-4, Quinn Motichka 1-3, Josie Caye 4-4, Kaylanna DesJarlais 3-4, Laurel Bitterman 2-5, Olivia Perez 0-2, Paige Noyes 2-4, Lisa Costilla 2-4, Grace Quinones 0-0, Lexy Orien 0-0. 2B— Mayorga 1, DesJarlais 1, Noyes 1. 3B — Mayorga 1, DesJarlais 1. RBI — Smith 2, Mayorga 4, Motichka 1, Caye 2, DesJarlais 4, Bitterman 2, Noyes 4, Castilla 1.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Kaylee Ashe 1-3, Raychel Hoerner 2-4, Ryley Kehr 2-4, Trista Cowan 3-4, Katie Murray 0-1, Kennedy Payne 1-3, Tori Briscoe 2-4, Graceanne Sevesind 2-4, Chloe Kienas 0-3, Jayden Hamilton 1-1. 2B — Hoerner 2, Kehr 1, Sevesind 1. RBI — Sevesind 2, Payne 2, Ashe 1, Horner 1.
Browning 0 0 0 — 0 1 3
Columbia Falls 6 8 7 — 21 23 0
WP — Trista Cowan. LP — K. Rides At The Door.
BROWNING — Montana Brommer 1-2, K. Rides At The Door 0-1, Fitzgerald 0-1, Alyan Skunkcap 0-1, K. Brown 0-1, A. Bitsui 0-1, Morning Star 0-0, T. Kennorlly 0-1, A. Kennorlly 0-0, Katie Running Wolf 0-1, Linsey Old Person 0-1.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Kaylee Ashe 3-3, Raychel Hoerner 4-4, Ryley Kehr 4-4, Trista Cowan 3-4, Kennedy Payne 3-3, Tori Briscoe 2-3, Graceanne Sevesind 1-2, Chloe Kienas 1-1, Jayden Hamilton 1-2, Abbey Underdahl 1-1. 2B — M. Brommer. Kehr 2, Cowan. HR — Kehr, Cowan. RBI — Ash 4, Horner 2, Kehr 7, Cowan, Hamilton, Underdahl.
Libby 4 2 4 1 1 — 12 14 2
Columbia Falls 0 1 1 0 0 — 2 3 4
WP — Khalyn Hageness. LP — Trista Cowan.
LIBBY — Linsey Walker 1-4, Khalyn Hageness 3-4, Jayden Winslow 4-4, Emily Carvey 3-4, Sammee Bradeen 1-1, Haylee Cannon 1-3, Sheila Gallagher 1-4, Bridgette Haskins 0-2, McKenzie Proffitt 0-0, Keira Ward 1-2.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Kaylee Ashe 0-3, Raychel Hoerner 2-3, Trista Cowan 0-3, Ryley Kehr 1-2, Kennedy Payne 0-2, Katie Murray 0-1, Tori Briscoe 0-2, Graceanne Sevesind 0-1, Jayden Hamilton 0-1, Chloe Kienas 0-2.
2B — Hageness, Winslow 2, Carvey 2, Gallagher. HR — Ryley Kehr. RBI — Hageness, Winslow, Carvey 3, Cannon 2, Gallagher. Kehr, Horner.