Wildcats battle back to take third at state tourney

Hungry Horse News

After a tough start, the Columbia Falls baseball team battled back to take third at the state baseball tourney in Missoula last week.

The Wildcats lost to Hamilton in the opener 10-7, but battled back to beat Polson, 8-7 in the consolation bracket, then dropped AA Belgrade 10-9 and hammered Butte 16-2 to take third.

The Hamilton game was a bummer, as the Wildcats were up 4-3 after three innings, but the Broncs tied it in the fourth and then put up six in the fifth. The Cats answered with two in the sixth and a run in the bottom of the seventh, but just couldn’t close the gap.

Against Polson, the Cats were down 6-2 in the top of the fifth, but battled back with six runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 8-6. Reggie Sapa hit a triple that drove in three runs. He also got the win on the mound, pitching 1-2/3 innings of middle relief for starter Jett Pitts. Cody Schweikert came in and sealed the deal for the Cats in the seventh after Polson added a run in the top of the inning.

Against Belgrade, the game was tied at nine apiece in the bottom of the eighth when Dayne Tu hit a walk-off single to bring AC Chilson across the plate for the win.

The Cats had a 5-1 lead after three innings, but Belgrade put up five in the top of the fourth to go up 6-5. 

The Cats tied it back up with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but Belgrade put up two in the top of the seventh to tie it. The Cats came back with two runs in the seventh to tie it up again, but Belgrade scored a run in the top of the eighth. The Cats answered again when Chilson lined to right to drive in Schweikert who drew a walk earlier in the inning.

Against Butte, the Cats blew the game open with 11 runs in the top of the fifth to put the game away against the AA Bulldogs.

Pitts drove in five runs on four hits to lead the Cats.

Sapa got the  start on the mound, pitching two innings, giving up four hits but no runs, while Nico Young pitched the third and Dawson Juntunen came in for two innings to close the game out.

Sapa had a triple in the contest, his second of the tourney and ninth of the season.

Coach Chad Green was happy with the way the boys battled back to take third.

“We had to dig deep,” he said. “The boys answered the call.”

Green used seven pitchers in the tourney, a testament to the Wildcats’ depth. 

Green noted it was tough to beat a good team like Polson three times in a season, but the Cats managed and the Belgrade game going eight innings was a big challenge the boys responded to.

Sapa was “Mr. Triple” this season, Green noted. They weren’t doubles with an error, but true shots into the gaps that Sapa was able to stretch into great hits. Green also had kudos for Kroger, who was not only key on the mound, but had three great grabs for Cats in centerfield to keep them in games. Schweikert also snared a catch mid-way between first and second to keep the season alive.

The Cats have a solid foundation with a lot of upcoming talent for next season, but lose eight seniors. Pitts is just a freshman and Sapa is a junior, but they lose catcher AC Chilson, who was calling all the pitches this season, to graduation as well.

The Cats finish the season at 18-3.

Several players were named-all state and first team all-conference. Schweikert, who hit .543 with a 1.343 OPS (on baseplus- slugging percentage), with 35 runs batted in.  Sapa, who hit .493 with 36 runs scored, was also All-State along with teammates Chilson (.475 batting average) and  Kroger. Kroger hit .455, and was also 5-1 with a 3.21 earned-run average on the mound. 

Matt Mitts was named first team all-conference and Juntunen second team all-conference.