Lady Pirates softball hopes to 'win it all'

To say expectations are high when you put on a Polson softball uniform would be an understatement.

Last season, the Lady Pirates fell short of expectations by finishing 19-8 and second in the conference. They had what Lady Pirates’ softball coach Larry Smith referred to as the “quickest out” in the Class A state tournament since the mid-90s, with back-to-back losses to Columbia Falls and Hamilton.

“The girls didn’t like losing in state that quickly and I think it left a bitter taste in their mouth,” Smith said. “I think the majority of the players that are coming back have as good of a shot as any other team in Class A to go out there and win it all. That is traditionally what we’ve had.”

One of the Lady Pirates’ top pitchers, Haley Fyant, concurred with Smith on what she said she felt her team could improve on from last season.

“I think we could have finished stronger last year towards the end of the season,” Fyant said. “I felt like we stayed the same instead of improving. This year we are a lot more focused and experienced.”

Smith, who has been the Lady Pirates’ skipper for the last thirty seasons, said his team had a delay caused by inclimate weather he said he has never experienced since taking over the program.

“This is the first time in my thirty years of doing this at Polson High School that, at this time of the year, we were still indoors,” Smith said. “We were finally able to get outside and get a workout.”

Smith said the Lady Pirates will boast of several returners this season, which has created the high early-season expectations surrounding his team.

“We’ve had a nucleus of really strong returners and strong young people coming up in our program and we should be very solid,” Smith said. “Our team is built around speed and being fast.”

Smith said he will have two solid pitchers to give the Lady Pirates some depth in pitching in Haley Fyant and Camas Renault.

“It is nice to have two pitchers and it really takes the pressure off of you,” Smith said. “Its’ nice to have that ace too. I’ve been there and won a state championship with just one. The kids were very strong and had a lot of stamina. Most of the time, when you get a really strong pitcher, they don’t want anyone else to pitch.”

Senior catcher Ashley Benson said she has expressed faith in her team’s pitching depth and as a unit this season.

“I believe that we are going to be very strong this year and we had a lot of strong girls coming up through the program as well,” Benson said. “Our bats are going to be pretty strong and there will not be too many weaknesses on our team.”

Smith said he felt one area that will be critical to improving on last season’s record will be remaining injury free. According to Smith, last season Polson struggled significantly with staying healthy and that contributed to their early exit.

One area Smith said he felt his team will be strong is base speed.

The Lady Pirates will have Kaelyn Smith leading off and Laurel Bitterman in the No. 2 spot of the batting order.

“They are both extremely fast,” Smith said. “Bitterman would be leading off on most teams. They give us a legitimate scoring threat when they get on base.”

Good young ones that have some speed too.”

Smith also said he felt Hannah Fryberger will be one of his team’s top hitters this season.

Smith said he doesn’t feel there are many weakness on his team as they prepare for their season opener hosting Class AA Big Sky on Tuesday, March 28.

“We are going to be solid and we shouldn’t have too many weaknesses,” Smith said. “We have a very enthusiastic bunch of kids and we have some young players with some speed too.”

Fyant agrees with her coach’s assessment.

“I think we are going to be strong all the way around and we do have some experience now,” Fyant said. “We just have to work together, do the best that we can and put all of our effort into everything that we do.”