Lady Pirates blast Glacier in season opener

By Trent Makela / Leader Staff

It took just five innings for Polson to end Glacier High School's first ever softball game with a 13-3 victory at the Polson Softball Complex last Friday.

The Class A Lady Pirates jumped out to a 10-0 lead in their 2008 opener, thanks to a solid effort from junior starting pitcher Dakota Peterson. Polson scored just one run in the next three innings, though, and allowed Class AA Glacier to pull to within 11-3 in the fourth.

Polson's career home run-leader Sarah Newton finally ended the game and sounded the Polson battle gong with a crushing swing in the fifth. Her two-run blast easily cleared the fence in left-center field, returning the defending state champions to the win column and ending the game under the 10-run "mercy rule."

"That was no surprise to me. [Newton] can hit and hit them a long way if it's on the nose," head coach Larry Smith said. "There's still some things I saw that we need to work on. I'd like to see some feet move on defense. It was pretty cold, though, and that may have played a part. I think some of the girls would've liked to huddle up for warmth out there on the field."

Below-freezing temperatures and stinging winds kept most players in gloves or constantly warming their hands throughout the evening. One of the few players who chose to play in bare hands was the Lady Pirates' first-baseman, junior Rochelle Woods.

"Rochelle did a really good job at first. She dug out some throws that weren't right on and hung tough," Smith said. "She also did something I've never seen her do — she dropped a ball. I knew how cold her hands were then."

Smith also credited his two seniors, Caitlyn Vassar and Maggie Gordon, for providing the steady hands his young team needs after graduating seven starters in the offseason.

"Our only two seniors stepped up and hit very well. They did their jobs offensively and made good plays for us defensively," Smith said. "Even if it was a good hit, we were able to get into the play and hold it to a single or hold a base runner from scoring."

Gordon finished with a pair of doubles, scored three runs, and knocked another in.

Vassar also had a pair of doubles, knocking in two runs and scoring one herself.

The Polson players had played against many of the Glacier players this past summer, but never faced the group as a whole.

"It's not like they were playing their first game. All of our new players are green, too, as far as varsity experience," Smith said. "Our girls have played a lot and been very successful every summer. Our program has been successful because of that experience they get with the younger teams."

Friday's home game against Ronan was rescheduled to April 15 upon the Maidens' request. A number of Ronan's varsity players were out of town attending a choir event, according to Smith.

The Lady Pirates will jump back into action at Havre and Browning next Friday and Saturday, respectively.

"We expected a lot more out of Havre last year, but we really thumped them in both games," Smith said. "They're very athletic and they have a very good pitcher I was able to see this summer. I don't know anything about Browning. I don't think they won a game last year, but I hope they're going to improve every year."

Polson 10 0 0 1 2 — 13 13

Glacier 0 0 2 0 1 — 3 12

W — Peterson (1-0).

L — Compton (0-1).

POLSON — Staci Benson 1-4, Gordon 2-4, Newton 1-3, Amanda James 1-2, Vasser 2-3, Woods 1-3, Charlee Jensen 1-3, Dakota Peterson 1-3, Liz Simshaw 1-2, SuSan Perez-Tenas 1-1.

GLACIER — Britney Brown 1-3, Zoey Pettit 0-3, Megan Connolly 2-3, Lindsey Hoffenbacker 1-2, Brittany Franklin 0-3, Abby Connolly 0-2, Sebrina Kenfield 0-1, Taylor Albright 2-3, Kristen Storle 2-3, Jesse Compton 1-3.