Polson softball wins with a walk-off

POLSON - Stepping to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, senior Staci Benson had to come through.

Against conference rival Libby last Friday, the Polson softball team found themselves tied at three.

"We are always battling with Libby for the top spot in the conference," head coach Larry Smith said. "They made a nice run at us. Our kids came back and did what they needed to do."

One out, with the winning run at third and Benson was without a hit all game, an unusual occurrence, Smith said.

"She has been doing really well, well over .500," he said. "With the game at home against a rival, I think she was trying too hard."

Up until this point.

With a hard hit to right field, junior Kylie Knutson was easily able to cross the plate for the 4-3 win.

Polson started the game scoring two runs in the second inning, when junior Sallie Sams and sophomore Makaliah Wilson were able to score on past balls.

Pitching was clutch in the third, as freshman Shay Duford struck out two batters with two runners on to hold the two-run lead.

For the third out of the inning, sophomore Ashley Johnson gunned the ball from left field to make the play and save the run.

Libby once again had two on in the top of the fourth but Shay was able to get the Pirates out of the jam.

In the bottom of the fourth, Polson almost increased its lead. Sophomore Riley Kenney singled to center, stole second and made it to third on Johnson's slap bunt but couldn't cross home plate.

Kenney came up big in the fifth inning. With two outs and runners on second and third, she was able to get the sure out at first, leaving Logger runners on base.

Polson was unable to get on base during the next two innings, going out in three batters. Smith said he thought Polson would be able to hold on for the win.

"I thought we would be able to nail it down," he said. "We fell apart in the top of the seventh."

At the top of the seventh, things started to unravel for the Pirates, including three errors in the field. Smith said those errors led to Libby's runs.

Libby was able to score one and still have runners at first and third. A well-placed hit to right field scored both runners before taking a 3-2 lead to put the pressure on the Pirates in their last at bat.

Smith said he didn't really have to say anything to the Pirates as they entered the bottom of the seventh.

"They came out ready," he said. "I'm very pleased with that."

Wilson started things off for Polson with a hard line drive to Libby's short stop, who was able to hold on for the out.

"She hit that ball well," Smith said.

Johnson reached first and stole second as freshman Martina Marquardt was walked. Shay helped the cause with a double to center, scoring Johnson and tying the score. Marquardt advanced to third with one out before junior Kylie Knutson replaced her on the base path and eventually scored the winning run on Benson's hit.

"We weren't getting hard hits, but we were putting it in play," Smith said of the Pirate's performance at the plate.

The adrenaline carried over into the next morning's game against Hamilton, but didn't kick in right away.

"We didn't do anything in the top of the first," Smith said.

That was the last time Hamilton would score in the 16-1 Polson win. After the first, the Pirates didn't allow more than three batters to swing the bat.

Hamilton scored one run in the bottom of the first before Polson lit up the score board.

With six hits, the Pirates were able to get nine runners across the plate, almost batting around twice.

"We bombarded their pitcher," Smith said. "Everybody was on. I've always said hitting's contagious."

Sams was able to reach third after two errors. On a passed ball, Sams scored and Wilson made it to third, before scoring on a fielding error. Shay singled and knocked in Johnson. Benson ripped a triple, scoring two runs. Kenney singled and scored two before crossing the plate herself on a fielding error.

After adding three runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth, the Pirates accumulated 13 hits and committed zero errors.

Sams went 2-for-3 and Benson added a triple, going 3-for-4, driving in three runs. Knutson stole twice and also knocked in three runs.

Shay gave up only two hits from the mound in her ninth victory of the season.

The Pirates waited five hours before taking on Corvallis later in the day, but lost 8-4.

"They weren't the team I know they are," Smith said. "They just didn't have that fight in them."

Corvallis scored one in the second and the Pirates battled back with four in the top of the fifth. Corvallis responded with six runs during its next at bat.

"Corvallis came out and hammered the ball," Smith said.

Polson had 10 hits, but left eight base runners stranded.

Smith said during the last three innings the Pirates woke up.

"We got people on but just couldn't get them across," he said.

Errors didn't help the Pirate's cause. Smith said four errors in the fifth inning were mostly mental mistakes.

Polson will face Glacier tonight in Polson, facing the toughest pitcher of the year, Smith said.

"This will show what our mettle is made of," he said.

The Pirates will host Columbia Falls Friday and travel to Browning for a double header on Saturday.