10U Pirate All-Stars take third at home

POLSON — The Polson 10U Pirate All-Stars just missed the championship of their own Walk the Plank baseball round robin tourney due to a narrow tiebreaker, but went 3-for-1 in a strong effort in their first week of ball together.

It started with a 14-8 loss to eventual tourney champ Columbia Falls.

The game was checkered with big scoring innings, both teams packing plenty of firepower. Polson struck big early with four scored runs in the opening inning and another four earned in the fourth.

But Columbia Falls countered with six in the second and another five in the fourth. Polson coach Clint Chowning said it was a typical first game performance - they played with energy and excitement but a little sloppy.

“We were kind of getting the roughs out,” he said.

By the second game, an increase in baseball maturity was already evident.

Pirates Matthew Rensvold and Cadis Chowning each had a 2-run dinger in the fourth inning to pace the Pirates to a 12-6 win over Eureka.

Rensvold and Cadis  split time on the mound in the win.

On Sunday, the Pirates’ convincing run blurred into overdrive with a 13-2 victory over Clark Fork, the defending state tourney champ. Tanner Wilson threw the first two innings for the Pirates, giving up a couple walks for runs but just one hit. Rensvold pitched the last two innings, and didn’t allow another run.

In Polson’s final game, they took out Whitefish 5-1.

“It was a real tight game,” Clint said. “A real pitchers’ battle.”

Cadis had the game’s most memorable hit, good for two RBIs and a lot of Polson momentum in the third inning.

Wilson pitched early on, giving up the one run, then Rensvold finished Whitefish off in the final three.

Watching Wilson bring the heat might remind readers of the star of baseball film, “Rookie of the Year.”

“He’s got some high velocity pitches,’ Clint said. “I don’t think there’s another pitcher (in his age group) that throws that hard.”

After the pool play was wrapped up, Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Polson wound up in a three-way tie with only two spots left in the championship.

It came down to the total number of runs allowed and Polson finished just behind Columbia Falls in the measure for third. Columbia Falls beat Whitefish in the final.

It was a weekend of improvement, Clint said.

“Every single game the kids improved a lot. From the first game to the fourth the quality of baseball had doubled,” he said.

The Pirates played a double header at Whitefish on Tuesday and play a tourney in Columbia Falls this weekend.

The all-star squad was picked in a tryout of players from the Polson 10U league’s four teams.