12U Purple Wave takes second at state tourney
The 12U Polson Purple Wave took second at the state ASA softball tourney in Missoula Sunday, finishing with an impressive 26-5 record as they prepare for a regional tourney this weekend.
The girls lost two tough games to the Billings Blues in the championship match, a team they beat 10-6 earlier that morning.
The team was made up of Marlee Berry, Kayla Duford, Sarah Goodman, Ashley Johnson, Breanne Kelley, Riley Kenney, Marissa McCrea, Heidi Rausch, Sallie Sams, Makaliah WIlson and Kodi Woods.
They started out Friday with a 16-8 win over the Billings Bulldogs, as Breanne Kelley had four hits and scored three times, Sallie Sams went 3-for-3 at the plate, and Kodi Woods was 3-for-4.
Later that day, they slaughtered the Columbia Falls Wildkats, 23-2, in a game shortened to three innings due to the mercy rule. Sarah Goodman and Marissa McCrea scored three times each, going 3-for-3 from the plate.
Woods got the win on the mound, after McCrea started the game, and Woods struck out the side in the first.
First-year player Marlee Berry had four RBIs in the game, including an inside-the-park home run.
On Saturday, the girls beat the Emerald Green 12-3 behind a good pitching performance from Goodman, who had six K's. Riley Kenney was 4-for-4 at the plate, and Woods and Kayla Duford were 3-for-4.
On Sunday, the Wave was looking for the championship match-up, and got off to a good start, beating the Blues 10-6 that morning. Kelley and Berry went 3-for-4 and Duford was 3-for-3 at the plate.
After that, they had to wait as the Blues fought their way back through the loser's bracket, meaning they'd have to beat the Wave twice to clinch the championship.
The Wave went up 5-0, then 6-2, but found themselves in a 14-6 hole. They crawled their way back to make it 14-13, and Duford hit one to the fence in the fifth inning, but it was caught. The team lost 18-15.
In the second game, Goodman pitched well, despite having a hurt leg, coach Paul Noble said.
"I asked her if she wanted to come out, but she hung in there," he said. "She pitched well, but our bats just cooled off."
The team lost 10-6, but Noble was really happy with the Wave's season.
"These girls did great. They won three tourneys, and 24 games in a row. Other teams said we had great hitters all up and down the line-up, but our defense was solid, too," Noble said "I'm so proud of how the girls did."