Lady Pirates 'confident' heading into state tournament

Polson softball coach Larry Smith projects a subtle confidence when discussing his Lady Pirates’ chances to compete at state.

Smith, who is in his 30th season as a head softball coach, said he is “confident” in his team’s ability but also speaks with trepidation about getting too confident because he is aware in the game of softball anything can happen.

“I agree we have as good of chance as any and I am very confident that way,” Smith said.

Smith and his Lady Pirates have done everything they can to prepare for state. Polson has played defending Class-A champion Frenchtown twice, Hamilton twice, and has played Eastern powerhouse Belgrade close, losing 2-1 in the fast pitch invite in Belgrade on April 7. The Lady Pirates hosted them on April 1 and lost 9-2.

“I think our strength of schedule is higher than anyone else’s,” Smith said. “I feel very confident in where we stand. We’ve gotten good looks at some of the top 4 teams in Class-A and that sets us up to help us finish stronger.”

One problem the Lady Pirates will have is something they have no control over. Polson will travel a total of 670 miles one way to Sidney, and because of the massive trip, Smith said he and his team will leave two days prior to the state tournament held on May 25-27 at Sidney.

“The challenge is trying to keep them in the right frame of mind,” Smith said. “It’ll be different planning time, the bus ride, eating out, sleeping in a motel, and keeping themselves focused because it’s still softball first,” Smith said. “When you travel that distance, you tend to get jet lagged. We will be leaving Tuesday morning, practice in Belgrade, go onto Billings and continue with the route the following morning to Sidney. We will practice up there on the playing field Wednesday afternoon.”

The Lady Pirates will play Lewistown in the first round, a team that Smith admits he “doesn’t know much about” because they didn’t get an opportunity to play them at the Butte Invitational on May 12-13 because the game “snowed out.”

“I don’t know a lot about them because we didn’t get a chance to play them when scheduled to play at Butte Central,” Smith said. “Belgrade beat them in the championship. I am feeling pretty confident but I don’t want to be overconfident.”

Smith said his Lady Pirates will have their work cut out for them as they are sandwiched in what he calls the “toughest portion of the bracket.”

“We are in the dead center in the toughest part of the bracket,” Smith said. “In order to win, you have to beat everyone anyway. So who you play is beside the point.”

If Polson wins, they will have to face Hamilton and possibly face Frenchtown in the third round of the winner’s bracket in the hypothetical situation they get past Lewistown and Hamilton.

Then, they would have to face the winner of the other bracket which includes Belgrade and Columbia Falls to get to the championship game if they stay in the winner’s bracket.

Smith said he felt his No. 1 pitcher Haley Fyant is improving after she was out for a week because of illness. In her last outing, Fyant allowed 11 hits in the 5-1 loss to Columbia Falls. Smith said he “isn’t concerned.”

“I think pitching wise our pitchers are getting better,” Smith said. “Columbia Falls hit her around a little bit and that was a tough game for her because they had one big inning. She is looking much stronger and I think mentally is ready. She is going to be inspired to really be competitive pitching wise.”

Smith said overall his team is starting to “believe in themselves.”

“I have a good feeling about this bunch, they are starting to really believe in themselves, and I think it’s coming together,” Smith said.

Polson 20, Whitefish 1 (gm2)

The doubleheader sweep secured the NWA 3rd-seed berth at the State A tournament in Sidney, where Polson will face Central A 2nd-seed Lewistown. Game highlights include Kaelyn Smith tying the school single season stolen base record that she reset last season when she eclipsed the previous mark of 39 established by freshman Strohm Fouty in 2002. Cleanup batter Haley Fyant came within a single of completing the cycle. Swapping roles as a late inning substitute shortstop, Fyant compensated for a less than accurate throw followed by an unsuccessful nab of a fielder’s choice when she snuffed the short lived threat by single handedly turning a double play.

Polson (3-3, 14-8)

Whitefish 00( 0 ) 01 – 1 0 4

Polson 20(12) 6x – 20 21 1

Lauren McDonald and Mary Akey; Haley Fyant, Camas Renault (2), Ashley Benson (4) and Benson, Kaylanna DesJarlais (4). W – Fyant (11-6). L – McDonald.

WHITEFISH – Abby Carson 0-2, Isabelle Klempel 0-2(E), Amara McDaniel 0-3(E), Baileigh Krause 0-2, Rebecca Catina 0-2, McDonald 0-2, Akey 0-2, Zoe Dugan 0-1, Sidney Cooke 0-0, Joslyn Reardon 0-0.

POLSON – Smith 4-5, Bitterman *1-4, Fryberger 1-5, Fyant 3-4, Benson 2-2, Renault 4-4, Motichka 1-3, Desjarlais 0-1, Noyes 0-1, Grace Quinones 1-1, Costilla 2-3, Natasha Gravelle 2-2, Rhiley Big Beaver 0-1.

HR – Fyant. 3B – *Smith, Fyant. 2B – *Smith, Fyant, Renault, Motichka, Quinones. RBIs – Smith, Bitterman, Fryberger, Fyant 3, Benson, Renault, Motichka 3, Quinones, Costilla 3, Gravelle 2. BB – Carson, Klempel; Benson 2. HB – Cooke, Dugan, Reardon. SB – Smith 3(41st), Bitterman 3(23rd), Fryberger 2, Benson, Motichka, . (Fr19May17gm2)

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s) where gm specs differ from media coverage: Bitterman 3ab (E,FO,x,PO,1B)

Polson 18, Whitefish 0 (gm1)

Polson (2-3, 13-8),

Whitefish 000 – 0 2 1

Polson 99x – 18 16 0

Lauren McDonald and Mary Akey; Haley Fyant (5K,1A), Camas Renault (3) and Ashley Benson. W – Fyant (10-6). L – McDonald. Further pitching specs: Renault (1K,1H,1A)

WHITEFISH – Abby Carson 0-2, Isabelle Klempel 2-2, Amara McDaniel 0-2, Baileigh Krause 0-0, Rebecca Catina 0-1, McDonald 0-1, Akey 0-1, Zoe Dugan 0-1, Bailey Smith 0-1.

POLSON – Kaelyn Smith 3-4, Laurel Bitterman *1-2, Hannah Fryberger 0-0, Fyant 3-3, Benson 1-3, Renault 2-3, Quinn Motichka 0-1, Kaylanna Desjarlais 3-3, Paige Noyes 3-3, Lisa Costilla 0-0.

2B – Fyant, Desjarlais; RBIs – Bitterman 2, Fyant 4, Benson, Renault 2, Desjarlais 4, Noyes. BB – Krause. HB – Fryberger 3, Motichka. SB – Smith 5(38th), Bitterman(20th), Fryberger 2, (cr) Grace Quinones 2, Benson 2, Renault, Motichka 2, DesJarlais, Noyes. (Fr19May17gm1)

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s) where actual gm specs differ from media coverage: Bitterman 1ab(W,GO,1B)

C.Falls 5, Polson 1

Only conference game in which the Lady Pirates have been outhit and only the third in which they have been outhit by better than a 2:1 ratio. Polson (1-3, 12-8)

Polson 010 000 0 – 1 5 1

C. Falls 001 130 x – 5 11 0

Haley Fyant (3K,2HB) and Ashley Benson. KJ Schweikert (5K,3W) and Hannah Freeman. W – Schweikert. L – Fyant (9-6).

POLSON – Kaelyn Smith 0-4(FC), Laurel Bitterman 0-3, Hannah Fryberger 0-2, Fyant 0-2, Benson 2-3, Camas Renault 1-2, Quinn Motichka 0-3, Kaylanna Desjarlais 0-3, Paige Noyes 1-2, Natasha Gravelle 1-1.

COLUMBIA FALLS – Kaylee Ashe 0-4, Peyton Kehr 2-4, KJ Schweikert 3-4, Trista Cowan 0-2, Syd Hovde 0-2, Freeman 2-2, Taylar Putnam 1-3, Kaylene Volkman 2-3, Kennedy Payne 1-3.

HR – Freeman. 2B – Kehr, Freeman, Putnam. RBIs – Noyes; Schweikert, Freeman 2, Putnam. BB – Fryberger, Fyant, Renault. HB – Hovde, Freeman. (Tu16May17)