Wildkat softball improves to 8-6 with solid week

The Columbia Falls Wildkats capped a busy week of softball with a dominant performance on Monday, shutting out Whitefish 15-0 at home to close a stretch that featured six games over five days. With the win, Columbia Falls improved its record to 8-6 on the season.

In Monday’s rivalry matchup, the Wildkats wasted no time putting runs on the board, scoring six runs in the first inning, seven in the third, to end the contest early via the mercy rule. Columbia Falls collected 17 hits in the win, led by a perfect 3-for-3 effort from both Onnikka Lawrence and Kylie Gjesdal-Davis, while Chevelle Bedford added three hits and three RBIs. Annika Reid also drove in three runs, and the Wildkats tallied six doubles overall, with Reid, Bedford, and Lawrence each collecting one.

Pitching was just as dominant. Katie Bulawsky started and threw two hitless innings, striking out five, before Ella Brandsetter came in and struck out five more in two innings of relief. Whitefish was held hitless throughout the game.

The lopsided win over Whitefish followed a busy weekend for Columbia Falls at the Frenchtown Invitational, where the Wildkats went 3-1 against teams from around the state.

On Friday, Columbia Falls opened tournament play with a 9-2 victory over Dillon. After Dillon briefly tied the game in the second inning, the Wildkats pulled away with a steady offensive output. Reid starred at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and three RBIs. Ella Branstetter picked up the win in the circle, allowing just two hits and no earned runs over four innings.

Also on Friday,  Columbia Falls fell to Billings Central, 15-9, in a high-scoring affair. The Wildkats struggled to contain Billings Central’s offense, which piled up 15 runs on 14 hits. Bella Mann led Columbia Falls with a pair of doubles and two RBIs, while Lawrence added two hits, including a double of her own.

Columbia Falls rebounded strongly on Saturday, starting the day with a 12-7 win over Libby. After falling behind early, the Wildkats used a steady offensive surge to overtake the Loggers. Reid once again delivered at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and five RBIs. Alexa Friske turned in a standout performance as well, going 4-for-5 with an RBI. Branstetter and Bulawsky combined in the circle to limit Libby to nine hits across seven innings.

The Wildkats also picked up a 6-4 win over Laurel, using a pair of late-inning rallies to secure the victory. Trailing by a run entering the fifth, Columbia Falls tied the game and then pushed ahead with a two-run seventh inning. Lawrence powered the offense with a double, a home run, and two RBIs, while Reid added two hits and an RBI. Bulawsky and Branstetter again combined effectively in the circle, allowing just six hits and four runs in the win.

Before their busy weekend, Columbia Falls edged Class AA Flathead in an 8-7 nail-biter on Thursday in Kalispell. After leading 4-1 early, the Wildkats saw Flathead mount a comeback before rallying themselves with four runs in the top of the seventh. Addy Bowler sparked the offense with three hits, including a triple, while Lawrence added a home run and two RBIs. Gjesdal-Davis doubled and drove in two runs as well. In the circle, Branstetter, Bulawsky, and Hailey Greene combined to hold off Flathead’s late push.

Across the six-game stretch, Columbia Falls showed off a powerful offense that collected 78 hits and produced 59 runs.