Softball squeaks past Broncs

The Columbia Falls softball team got two wins last week, dropping Libby 16-1 on the road Thursday while edging Frenchtown 3-2 on a frigid Friday in a game that ended on a bases loaded walk at home.

Frenchtown is a perennial state favorite and wins against the Broncs over the years have been a tough go. This game was no exception. The Wildkats scored a run in the first inning when Tayler Lingle reached first on a dropped third strike. Haden Peters would then hit a sharp ball to short where there was an error and Lingle was able to score from second.

Frenchtown put up two runs in the top of the third and the score stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh when the Kats rallied. Bella Mann’s single with one out drove in a run and then Tayler Lingle singled to load the bases up.

Onnikka Lawrence then walked on a 3-2 count and Monica Lawrence, who was waiting on third after a single earlier in the inning walked home for the win.

Maddie Moultray went the distance for the Kats giving up just four hits, while striking out eight. She threw 109 pitches — 70 were strikes.

Against Libby it was all Kats. Italia Hoerner had the hot bat with five runs on three hits including a home run as the Kats put up nine runs in the second inning, 

The Kats racked up 17 hits in the game that was called after four due to the mercy rule.

This week the girls play Flathead Tuesday after presstime at home then they face Havre and Libby Friday and then Billings Central and Florence Saturday at the Frenchtown Invitational.