Mission Valley softball teams on winning streak

By JOHN HEGLIE

Special to the leader

Polson 22,  Corvallis 1

At Polson this past Saturday, the visiting Lady Blue Devils were feeling the discomfort of their colors after the host Lady Pirates plated 20 runs in the second inning on a slew of slugging further compounded by multiple fielding foibles. Corvallis may not have turned white on account of getting spooked, but they were definitely feeling the blues after being bludgeoned by the bats of the Lady Bucs.  After a scoreless first inning, Polson almost went through their entire order three times in the bottom of the second as they smacked 17 hits that included a quintet for extra bases.  Sophomore hurler Haley Fyant picked up the victory while Camas Renault came in to pitch the remainder in relief. 

Polson (0-1 NWA, 6-3 all) has a quartet of games on tap this week.  The Lady Pirates will have already played Whitefish by Tuesday, travel to Libby for a crucial conference clash on Thursday, April 23, then are scheduled to play a pair of games at the Frenchtown Invitational Tournament on Saturday, April 25.    On their Saturday slate are three-time defending State BC champion Florence in the first game followed by State A runnerup Belgrade in the nightcap.   Last Tuesday’s scheduled meeting against Frenchtown was rain delayed and tentatively rescheduled for Monday, May 4, in Polson.

Corvallis   0  0  1 00  –    1   9 11

Polson      0(20)0 2x  –  22 21   2

Taylor Gagnon and Taia Tully. Haley Fyant, Camas Renault (3) and Sarah Rausch, Ashley Benson (3).

W – Fyant (2-1). L – Gagnon.  Sv – Renault.

Pitching – Gagnon (1K,21H,2W); Fyant (2K,2H,1PO), Renault (2K,6H,1HBP).

CORVALLIS – Tully 1-3, Kambrey Powell 0-3, Gagnon 1-2, Hannah Brown 1-3, Kira Doyle 1-2, Bobbie Stephen 2-2, Sydonia Curtis 1-2, Meghan Jessop 0-1, Kayla Field 0-1, Nicole Turner 2-2.

POLSON – Jaiden Toth 4-5, Kaelen Wall 2-4, Kaelyn Smith 3-5, Taylor Brackey 3-3 (W), Hannah Potter 3-4, Benson 2-4, Lydia Dupuis 2-4, Rausch 0-2, Skyla Krantz 2-3, Natalie Slonaker 0-1.

2B – Turner; Smith, Potter 2, Krantz.  3B – Tully; Toth, Wall, Brackey.

RBIs – Tully; Toth 2, Wall 2, Smith 2, Brackey 3, Potter 3, Benson 2, Dupuis,  Rausch 2, Krantz 3.

Sac – Wall, Rausch.  BB – Brackey, Rausch.  HBP – Gagnon. (Sa18Apr15)

Maiden bats blast Bluehawks

At Thompson Falls this past weekend, the visiting Ronan Maidens swept a double header as they grounded the Lady Bluehawks by a combined score of 29-1.  

The first game was scoreless through the first two innings, but then the Maidens adjusted to the rhythm of the pitcher and the hits started to follow. The Maidens scored runs in each of the subsequent five innings to take the first contest of the twinbill handily, with the aid of multiple fielding foibles on the part of the Bluehawks.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Maidens jumped out in front and put the contest out of reach early. The game ended after five innings on account of the 10-run rule. 

In the last four games last week, the Maidens scored 59 runs off 52 hits while generating 39 RBIs and stole 49 bases. Several Maidens beefed up their batting averages with performances at the plate north of a .400 average: Sassaman (9-19 .474), Dulmes (8-16 .500), Morency (6-14 .429), J.Clairmont (6-13 .462), C.Clairmont (5-10 .500).

Ronan (6-2, 7-3) travels to the Frenchtown Invitational Tournament this weekend where they will face Southwestern A Division contenders Dillon,  Anaconda and Hamilton.

Ronan 15, T Falls 1  

Ronan   002 611 5  – 15 13  0

T Falls  000 001 0  –    1   6  7

Carston Rhine and Kaitlyn Sassaman. Madi Fitchett and Lexy VanElswick. W – Rhine (6-1). L – Fitchett.

Pitching – Rhine (14K,6H,2PO), Fitchett (1K,13H,6W,1PO).

RONAN – Sassaman 2-6, Kenzie Dulmes 5-6, Kendra Starkel 0-2(Sac), Amanda Morency 0-5, Rhine 2-5, Jordyn Clairmont 1-4, Kiana Brown 2-4, Gabby Wirz 0-3, Sadie Wirz 1-5.

T FALLS – Fitchett 2-3, Haley Morgan 1-3, VanElswick 1-3, Tamara Brubaker 0-3, Shelby Bowden 0-3, Shelby Hooten 1-3, Dylan Barrera 1-2, Kelsey Bonney 0-1, Linda Schimming 0-3, Shaelyn Townsend 0-3.

2B – Sassaman, Dulmes, Brown; Fitchett, VanElswick.    RBIs – Sassaman, Dulmes, Starkel 2, Morency, Rhine, Brown 4, S.Wirz; VanElswick.     Sac – Starkel.    BB – Starkel 2, J.Clairmont, Brown, G.Wirz 2.    SB – Sassaman, Dulmes 6, Starkel 3, Rhine, J.Clairmont 2, G.Wirz 2.

statistical note: Errors on a play often negate RBIs.  Morency and S.Wirz are crossed out because they were not credited in the source consulted rather than erase mention completely due to alternative scoring acknowledgement.

Ronan 14, T Falls 0 (GM2)

T Falls  000 00  –    0   2  2

Ronan   723 2x  – 14 14  0

Fitchett and VanElswick.  Rhine, Gabby Wirz (2) and  Sassaman. W – Rhine (7-1). L – Fitchett.  Sv – G.Wirz.

Pitching – Fitchett (3K,14H,1W,3HP), Rhine (1K,1H,1PO), G.Wirz (6K,1H,1W,1PO).

T FALLS – Fitchett 1-2, Morgan 0-2, VanElswick 0-2, Brubaker 0-2, Bowden 0-2, Maggie Riddell 0-1,  Bonney 1-2, Schimming 0-2, Hooten 0-1.

RONAN – Sassaman 3-4, Dulmes 1-2, Starkel 1-3 (Sac), Morency 3-3, Rhine 0-1 (HBP), J.Clairmont 2-3, Brown 1-1(Sac), G.Wirz 2-3, Courtnee Clairmont 1-3, Heather Pospishil 0-1, Marissa Mock 0-1.

2B – Sassaman, Morency 2.  RBIs – Sassaman 2, Starkel 2, Morency 3, J.Clairmont, Brown 3, G.Wirz 2.

Sac – Starkel, Brown.  BB – Dulmes, Riddell.  HBP – Dulmes, Rhine, Brown.  SB – Morgan; Dulmes, J.Clairmont 2. (Sa18Apr15)

Maidens tame Trotters

At Plains last Tuesday, the visiting Maidens trounced the host Trotters in the first contest, winning the opening game by implementing the ten run rule after five innings.  Ronan picked up a couple of runs in each of the first pair of innings, but a big top-of-the-third put them in the driver’s seat for good as they took a commanding lead which Plains was unable to answer. 

In the second game of the doubleheader after a scoreless first inning, the Maidens had a huge bottom half of the second in which they pushed nine runs across the plate.  Plains responded with a pair of runs in the top half of the third, but Ronan countered like they were playing a card game, calling their challengers by scoring a pair and then raising the stakes with another pair on top of that to take a 13-2 lead. 

Having seen Maiden pitcher Carston Rhine on multiple occasions by this juncture of the game, Plains adjusted their timing of their swing and succeeded in plating five runs to cut the lead into single figures.  But they could carve into the deficit no further as both teams countered the other with the runs they would score the remainder of the contest to give Ronan the second match as well, but by a much closer score.

Ronan (4-2, 5-3 all) travels to Thompson Falls next for a doubleheader against the Lady Bluehawks.

Ronan 11, Plains 1 (GM1)

Ronan  225 20  – 11 13  0

Plains  010 00  –    1   5  4

Carston Rhine and Kaitlyn Sassaman. Hailey Coe and Jena Peterson. W – Rhine (4-1). L – Coe.

Pitching – Rhine (4K,5H,1W,1HP), Coe (13H,4W).

RONAN – Sassaman 2-4, Kenzie Dulmes 0-4, Kendra Starkel 1-4(E), Amanda Morency 2-3, Rhine 1-4(FC), Jordyn Clairmont 1-2(Sac), Kiana Brown 0-2, Gabby Wirz 0-1(E), Courtnee Clairmont 2-3.

PLAINS – Diana Woodward 0-2, Danika Whitcomb 1-3, Peterson 1-3, Sami Kinzie 1-2, Josey Carr 0-2, Coe 1-2, Kristen Josephson 0-2, Leah Thompson 1-2, Shaira Caldwell 0-2.

2B – Starkel(+E), Whitcomb. RBIs – Sassaman, Starkel 2, Morency 2, J.Clairmont, C.Clairmont; Coe.

Sac – J.Clairmont.  BB – Morency, Brown, G.Wirz 2; Kinzie.  HBP – Woodward.  SB – Sassaman, Starkel 2, Rhine, J.Clairmont 3, Brown 2.  (Tu14Apr15)

Ronan 18, Plains 12 (GM2)

Plains   002 503 2  –  12  13  4

Ronan  094 203 x  –  18  12  8

Jessica Thompson and Peterson. Rhine (6K,13H,3W,1PO) and Sassaman.

W – Rhine (5-1). L – J. Thompson.

PLAINS – Woodward 1-4(E), Whitcomb 1-5(E), Peterson 2-4, Kinzie 1-5(FC,2E), Carr 2-5, Coe 0-5, Josephson 3-5, J. Thompson 1-5, L. Thompson 2-3.

RONAN – Sassaman 2-5, Dulmes 2-4, Starkel 1-4, Morency 1-3, Rhine 2-3, J. Clairmont 1-3, Brown 1-4, G.Wirz 1-3, C. Clairmont 2-4.

2B – Peterson 2, Josephson(+E), J. Thompson, L. Thompson; Dulmes, Rhine, J. Clairmont.

RBIs – Whitcomb, Peterson 3, Kinzie 2, Carr 2, Josephson, L. Thompson 2; Sassaman, Dulmes 2, Starkel, Morency 2, Rhine 2, J. Clairmont, C. Clairmont.     BB – Woodward, Peterson, L.Thompson; Starkel, J.Clairmont.  HBP – Morency 2, Rhine, J.Clairmont, Brown. 

22SB – Sassaman 3, Dulmes 2, Starkel 4, Morency 3, Rhine 4, J.Clairmont, Brown, G.Wirz, C.Clairmont 3. (Tu14Apr15)

statistical notes: GM1 - Starkel 2B scored as 1B+E.  GM2 - Josephson 2B scored as 1B+E; Kinzie and Dulmes RBI tally scaled back on account of fielding errors.

By KYLIE RICHTER 

Lake County Leader

MAC Softball is on a winning streak of six games after their double header against Troy in St. Ignatius last week. MAC defeated Troy 12-2 in the first game, and then Troy ended the game halfway through the second because of injuries. The forfeit by Troy in fourth ended the game at 8-2 with MAC up. Mikaylan Roylance batted 3 for 4 for MAC, with three doubles. Shania Dubois and Morgan Malatare both had three RBIs for the Bulldogs.

Troy- 000 20 – 2 3 4

MAC- 354 0X – 12 15 1

Brenna Garrison and Alexis Tunison. Jaycee Anderson, RanDee Charlo (3), Vanessa Kent (5) and Kenzie Couture. W – Anderson. L – Garrison.

TROY – Rebecca Rotolo 0-2, Kaitlyn Downey 1-3, Aurora Becquart 1-2, Garrison 2-2, Kylie Carr 0-2, Nagy 1-2, Cheyenne Hake 0-1, Tunison 0-2, Tana Thill 0-2.

MISSION-ARLEE-CHARLO – Mikaylan Roylance 3-4, Jordyn Eichert 2-3, Emilie Charlo 2-3, Morgan Malatare 2-3, J. Anderson 1-3, Shania Dubois 3-3, Couture 0-3, Haley Carroll 2-3, R. Charlo 0-2.

2B – Roylance 3, Eichert. 3B – Dubois. RBIs – Nagy; Roylance, Eichert 2, E. Charlo 2, Malatare 3, Dubois 3.