Polson Softball: Swingin' Sallie Sams

Sams’ Ruthien efforts helps power Polson to top of NWA

Conference

POLSON - The stage was set nicely with the WildKats coming to town, but Polson stole the show with a 12-4 victory over Columbia Falls in a battle of the top two teams in the Northwestern A Conference last Thursday.

"The girls weren't ready to relinquish their crown for the conference just yet," Polson head coach Larry Smith said.

Polson used a seven-run second inning to put the WildKats in a hole they couldn't get out of. The Lady Pirates had four hits, including a double and a triple in the offensive explosion, they finished the game with 14 hits and four extra-base hits against Columbia Falls.

"It just seems with us that batting is contagious," Smith said. "Once you get a couple hits it seems the whole lineup gets a hit."

Makaliah Wilson smashed a ball that careened off the scoreboard in the outfield for a home run in the bottom of the third to give Polson the 9-1. The Wild-Kats showed some fight by scoring two in to the top of the fourth and one in the top of the fifth but couldn't score in the last two frames and fell to their Northwestern A opponent.

"They're a free-swinging team and what was so nice is we always were able to come up with the play or the pitcher came up with the pitch to put an end to things," Smith said.

Senior Sallie Sams went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, while sophomore Heidi Rausch went 3-for-4, and also smacked a triple. Leadoff hitter Kodi Woods went 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI.

Frenchtown Invitational

FRENCHTOWN - The offense kept on coming for the Lady Pirates, who had another big inning against Loyola Sacred Heart en route to a 19-2 victory on Saturday. As a whole team, Polson collected 24 hits while pitcher Shalaina Duford held Loyola to just four hits.

"Hitting-wise, it came in spurts for us," Smith said.

Polson took the early 3-0 lead in the first before Loyola tied things back up in the bottom of the third. The Lady Pirates scored four in the top of the fifth to take another commanding lead and never looked back.

Polson was led by Sams again, who went 4-for-5 with a double and a home run while driving in six runs. Rausch had a 4-for-5 outing as well, hitting a triple and driving in two runs in the game. Woods, Wilson and Bagnell also picked up two hits and Ashley Johnson with 3-for-4 with an RBI.

In that game, Polson matched up against an old teammate in Loyola Sacred Heart pitcher Sarah Goodman use to play for the Polson 12U ASA team and knew many of the Lady Pirates seniors.

Polson didn't find that same offense against Butte Central and they were blanked in a 3-0 defeat at the Invitational.

Quinn Peoples pitched a shutout and even though Polson collected nine hits, they couldn't string them together for runs.

"Butte Central is a very strong defensive team. Their hits were timely. They usually always are there [in the postseason picture]," Smith said of Butte Central. "They're always kind of the dark horse and they kind of sneak up."

Shalaina Duford pitched well in the matchup despite not getting the win.

"She had a great game," Smith said. "If you only give up five hits, you should win the game."

Kylie Knutson led the Pirates going 3-for-3, but the Lady Pirates gave up a run in the top of the second and two in the top of the fourth and that's all Butte Central needed.

Polson thumps Whitefish, again

WHITEFISH - It was déjà vu for the Lady Pirates last Tuesday (April 26) as they downed Whitefish 40-0 in five innings, behind 31 hits and two home runs from Sams.

Polson jumped out to a huge 17-0 lead thanks to 14 runs in the second and then repeated that performance in the fourth for the 32-0 lead. The Lady Pirates scored eight in very next frame before the game was called because of the 10-run rule.

Earlier in the season, Polson had set a state record for number of runs scored in an inning against Whitefish en route to a 46-0 victory.

Sams finished the game 3-for-4 with 7 RBIs. Nine different Lady Pirates had multi-hit games, pitcher Shalaina Duford was 5-for-6 with two doubles and three RBIs, her sister Kayla Duford went 2-for-4 with five RBIs. Wilson also had five RBIs on four-of-six hitting.

"In games like this, those that are having trouble hitting can come out of their slumps," Smith said.

POLSON 40, W-FISH 0

P - 3(14)1 - 14(8) - 40

W - 000 - 000 - 0 - 0

Polson - 31 hits, 0 errors. Whitefish - 1 hit, 4 errors

Lady Pirates batting - Kodi Woods 3-7, Ashley Joshnson 3-5, S. Duford 5-6, Sallie Sams 3-4, Heidi Rausch 4-4, K. Duford 2-4, Kylie Knutson 2-3, Makaliah Wilson 4-6, Martina Marquardt 4-5, Bagnell 0-0, Stephanie Engel 1-1, Colleen Jacobson 1-2, Jordan Everetts 0-0, Jaylin Kenney 0-1. Doubles - Johnson, S. Duford 2, Rausch 2, Wilson RBIs - Johnson 3, S. Duford 3, Sams 7, Rausch 3, K. Duford 5, Jacobson 2, Wilson 5, Marquardt 2, Kenney

LP Pitching - Duford gets the win, Bagnell (4)

POLSON 12, C-FALLS 4

C - 010 - 210 - 0 - 4

P - 171 - 102 - x - 12

C-Falls - 6 hits, 1 errors. Polson - 14 hits, 3 errors

Lady Pirates batting - Kodi Woods 2-3, Ashley Johnson 1-4, Shalaina Duford 2-3, Sallie Sams 3-4, Heidi Rausch 3-4, Kayla Duford 1-3, Kylie Knutson 1-4, Makaliah Wilson 1-3, Martina Marquardt 0-3.

Doubles - Sams 3B - Woods, Rausch, HR - Wilson

RBIs - Woods 1, Johnson 1, S. Duford 1, Sams 2, K.

Duford 2, Knutson

LP Pitching - S. Duford gets win

BUTTE C. 3, POLSON 0

B - 010 - 200 - 0 - 3

P - 000 - 000 - 0 - 0

BC - 5 hits, 0 errors. Polson - 9 hits, 0 errors

Lady Pirates batting - Kodi Woods 0-4, Ashley Johnson 1-4, S Duford 1-3, Sallie Sams 1-3, Heidi Rausch 0-3, K Duford 1-3, Kylie Knutson 3-3, Makahlia Wilson 1-3, Martina Marquardt 1-3.

POLSON 19, LOYOLA 2

P - 300 - 040 - (12) - 19

L - 003 - 000 - 0 - 2

Polson - 24 hits, 0 errors. Loyola - 4 hits, 2 errors

Lady Pirates batting - Kodi Woods 2-6, Kylie Kuntson 1-4, S. Duford 3-6, Sallie Sams 4-5, Heidi Rausch 4-5, K. Duford 1-3, Ashley Johnson 3-4, Makaliah Wilson 2-4, Jessica Bagnell 2-3, Stephanie Angle 1-2, Colleen Jacobson 1-1, Jordan Evertz 1-1 Doubles - S. Durford, Wilson, Sams 3B - Rausch, Bagnell

HR - Sams RBIs - Woods, Angle 4, S. Duford, Sams 6, Rausch 2, Johnson, Wilson 2, Bagnell

LP Pitching - S. Duford gets the win