Softball team picks up wins over Libby, Polson
The Wildkats softball team was on a roll last week, picking up wins over Libby and Polson to move into a tie for first place in the Northwest A standings before being rained out against Browning Friday.
The Kats jumped out to an early lead and held of a late comeback bid by the Lady Loggers Tuesday as Columbia Falls defeated Libby, 13-8.
The Kats scored three in the bottom of the first inning after Libby left two runners in scoring position in the top of the inning. Three walks in the bottom of the second helped set up an RBI single by Trista Cowan to add to the C-Falls lead before a wild pitch allowed McKenna Rensel and Kaylee Ashe to cross the plate to put the Kats up 6-0 after two innings.
The Lady Loggers cut the Wildkat lead in half with three runs on a home run and a 2-RBI double in the top of the third and added another run to cut the lead to 6-4 in the fourth.
The Kats responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth as Ryley Kehr brought in one with a single before Graceanne Sevesind cleared the bases with a three-run home run to left field that put the Kats up 10-4.
Columbia Falls led 13-7 going into the bottom of the seventh, but Libby picked up back-to-back one-out hits and a walk to load the bases before scoring on an infield hit to cut the lead to 13-8. The next batter popped up to second and pitcher Savvy Ellis struck out the final batter swinging to secure the win.
A three-run fifth inning was the key to victory against the Lady Pirates in Polson Thursday as the Kats earned a 6-4 victory.
Kehr had four hits, including two doubles, in the win while Sevesind added three hits, Isabel Johnson had two doubles and Cowan had a solo home run.
Cowan put the Kats up 1-0 with her home run in the top of the first inning and a nice throw from Rensel to home kept the tying run from scoring in the bottom of the inning.
The Kats went up 2-0 as Kehr crossed the plate on a double steal while Abbi Darsow took second in the fourth inning.
Polson scored three to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth but the Kats answered in the top of the fifth as Rensel scored on a throwing error before RBI singles from Kehr and Sevesind put C-Falls up 5-3.
Polson cut the lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the inning but the Kats added one final run on a sacrifice fly by Ellis in the top of the seventh, which brought home Cowan. Ellis took care of the Lady Pirates in order in the bottom of the inning to secure the win.
With the wins, the Kats are tied with Polson for first in the conference. Both teams are 2-1 in Northwest A play.