Five Mission Valley softballers compete at Veterans Memorial Classic

by John Heglie, special for the Leader

Begrade hosted the 5th annual Veterans Memorial Classic softball tournament this past weekend, where the Air Force stayed airborne to capture the championship over the Army. Softball players selected from around the state are assigned to teams that are named after a veteran in honor of the five branches of the military.

The Mission Valley had five players featured in the tournament spread among two teams. Sailing for the Navy were Kaelyn Smith and Kaylanna DesJarlais of Polson and Tomi Brazill of Mission-Arlee-Charlo. On recon for the Marines were Quinn Motichka of Polson and Gabby Wirz of Ronan.

The Navy trio of Smith, DesJarlais and Brazill collaborated on ten collective hits. Brazill hit a pair, drew three walks and generate an RBI. DesJarlais went 3-9 for a respectable .333 average while contributing three RBIs. Future Lady Griz Kaelyn Smith had five hits, two of those for extra bases, while contributing three RBIs. Her triple to straight away center could have been a home run, but the brisk wind blew it back into the field of play after it bounced off the rail of the chain link fence. She also might have stretched her double into a triple had there not been a base runner ahead of her. Utilized as a pinch runner for pitchers, she also swiped a handful of stolen bases.

The Marine tandem of Motichka and Wirz weren’t quite as boisterous with their bats, but Wirz had a hit while Motichka hit a sacrifice fly that contributed to her two RBIs. Dakota State-bound Motichka also tagged a tandem of taters during the home run derby, boosting her cumulative career tater tally to seven (3MHSA+2USA+2VMC). Not bad for a contact hitter who had never hit a home run in the history of her life prior to mid-May.

DesJarlais was slated to compete in the home run derby as well, but a finger injury prior to the contest precluded her participation. The anticipated showdown between the wheels of Smith and Hamilton’s Caitlin Dillon for the base running contest crown failed to materialize as Dillon won the event for the third year in a row. Although initially signed up to participate, Smith was in transit back home when the contest took place. Informal time tracking by then Lady Griz coach Jaime Pinkerton and staff when Smith was a sophomore in 2016 had given Smith a slight edge over Dillon the first year that the latter won the contest, but the time pieces of tournament officials favored Dillon.

2018 VMC Home Run Derby

1st: Morgan Sunchild (Great Falls) 10

2nd: Kynzie Mohl (Glacier) 8

3rd: Shelby Martin (Capital) 6

other participants:

Gabby Wirz (Ronan) 3, Trista Cowan (C.Falls) 3, Ashlynn Nixon (Corvallis) 3, Jamie Pickens (Helena) 3, Katie Hoppe (Belgade) 3, Quinn Motichka (Polson) 2, Ty Atwood (Belgrade) 2, Taylor Mathews (Capital) 2, Taylor Brinkman (Sentinel) 1, Jasmine Spotted Bear (Cutbank) 1, Addy Hultgren (Huntley P) 1, Madi Moore (CMR) 1, Lauren Gordon (Senior) 1, Kaylanna DesJarlais (Polson) dnp finger injury, oh-for contenders edited out

2018 VMC Base Running Contest

1st: Caitlin Dillon (Hamilton) 5.87

2nd: Madi Moore (CMR) 6.08

3rd: Ashlynne Copinga (Skyview) 6.32

other participants:

Jasmine SpottedBear (Cutbank) 6.39, Addie Labrum (Glacier) 6.42, Sara Sumner (Huntley Project) 6.44, Autumn Porter (Miles City) 6.62, signups w/o times: Macy Mangold (Lewistown), Kaelyn Smith (Polson), Natalie Edgar (Hardin)

2018 VMC pop-to-pop (best of 3)

1st: Autumn Porter (Miles City) 1.69

2nd: Kynzie Mohl (Glacier) 1.73

3rd: Haylee Curry (Belgrade) 1.78

other participants:

Sammee Bradeen (Libby) 1.80, Lauren Gordon (Senior) 1.93, Jasmine SpottedBear (Cutbank) 2.04, Natalie Dulac (Florence) 2.09, Kelsie Meis (Hamilton) 2.11, Kinzee Peterson (Havre) 2.12, original entries w/o times: Carly Tipp (Loyola)

5th Annual Veterans Memorial Softball Classic

Belgrade Softball Complex

Belgrade, MT

August 3-4, 2018

Mission Valley quintet:

Kaelyn Smith 5-9 (3B,2B,3RBI,2BB,SB, .556avg); Quinn Motichka (SF,2RBI); Kaylanna DesJarlais 3-9 (3RBI); Tomi Brazill 2-7 (3BB,RBI); Gabby Wirz 1H; Kassidy Kinzie (Plains) 6-13 2-2(2RBI).

championship

Air Force 5, Army 0

Air Force (3-0), Army (4-2)

Air Force 000 311 0 – 5 5 0

Army 000 000 0 – 0 4 3

WP – Erin Hocker (8K,1W). LP – Erin Elgas (10K,3W)

AIR FORCE – Sara Sumner 1-3, Jasmine Spotted Bear 1-3, Whitney Durocher 1-2(2B,3RBI), Katie Hoppe 2-3(2B,RBI), Erin Hocker 0-1(2BB), Natalie Edgar 0-2(RBI).

ARMY – Ryley Kehr 0-2(BB), Kynzie Mohl 1-2, Kinzee Peterson 1-2, Kassidy Kinzie 1-2, Nicky Damjanovich 1-2.

3rd place

Army 7, Marines 6

Army (4-1), Marines (1-2)

Marines 210 003 0 – 6 8 1

Army 106 000 0 – 7 9 2

Bri Hoffman (4K,1W), (4) Nicole Ames. WP – Erin Elgas (13K,4W)

MARINES – Sophia Doyle 1-3, Addie Labrum 1-3, Morgan Sunchild 2-2(BB), Jamie Pickens 1-2(BB), Quinn Motichka 0-2(SF), Nicole Ames 1-3, Kelsie Meis 0-2(BB), Molly Schmitz 1-2(BB), Gabby Wirz 1-3(FC).

ARMY – Caitlin Dillon 1-3, Madi Moore 2-3(3RBI), Cayley Bushong 1-2(BB,2RBI), Kynzie Mohl 1-3(RBI), Sydnie Peterson 1-2, Elgas 1-2, Kassidy Kinzie 1-2, Nicky Damjanovich 1-2.

HR – Sunchild; Bushong, Mohl. 3B – Moore. 2B – Doyle, Labrum, Sunchild; Elgas. RBIs – Sunchild 3, Pickens, Motichka; Moore 3, Mohl, Bushong 2. (Sa04Aug18gm9)

4th place

Army 11, Coast Guard 9

Army (3-1), Coast Guard (2-3)

Coast Guard 111 150 0 – 9 8 3

Army 242 030 0 – 11 12 1

Avory Escober, (5.67) Shelby Martin (3K,0H) and catcher. Erin Elgas (8K,4H), (6) Madi Moore and catcher.

COAST GUARD – Sophie Smith 1-3, Avory Escobar 2-3(2B,2R), Megan Delaney 1-2, Sammee Bradeen 0-1(BB,RBI).

ARMY – Caitlin Dillon 3-3, Kynzie Mohl 3-3(2B,RBI), Morgan Snow 1-3, Kassidy Kinzie 0-2(RBI). (Sa04Aug18gm8)

undefeated semifinal

Air Force 3, Marines 2

Nicole Ames (4K,2H), (4) Bri Hoffman (3K,8H,2W) and catcher. WP – Erin Hocker (13K,6H,2W).

AIR FORCE (10H) – Jasmine SpottedBear 1-2(SH), Ashlynn Nixon 1-3, Taylor Brinkman 1-2(BB).

MARINES (6H) – Addie Labrum 0-2(BB), Kelsie Meis 1-3(2B), Jamie Pickens 2-3, Sophia Doyle 2-2, Quinn Motichka 0-2, Gabby Wirz 0-2.

(Sa04Aug18gm7)

5th place

Coast Guard 16, Navy 8

Coast Guard (2-2), Navy (0-3)

Navy 400 400 – 8 13 6

CG 314 242 – 16 16 2

Khalyn Hageness (3K,12H,1W), (4.33) Brynn Leishman (1H,2W), (6) Addy Hultgren (1K,1H) and Kaylanna DesJarlais, Natalie Dulac. Alexa Kappel (5H,1W), (1.33) Shelby Martin (8K,8H,5W) and catcher.

NAVY – Tomi Brazill 0-2(2BB), Kaelyn Smith 3-4, Macy Mangold 0-3(BB), Cassidy Venner 2-3, Alivia Atlee 1-2(BB), Kaylanna DesJarlais 1-3, Natalie Dulac 1-2(BB), Kloie Thatcher 2-3, Leishman 1-2(BB), Hageness 2-3.

COAST GUARD – Sophie Smith 1-2(SH), Avory Escobar 0-3, Megan Delaney 1-2, Sammee Bradeen 1-2, Emily Kinnaman 1-2, Trista Cowan 0-1(BB).

HR – Alexa Kappel, Martin. 2B – Kae.Smith, Venner 2. RBIs – Desjarlais, Thatcher, Kae.Smith, Venner 4; Martin 4, So.Smith, Escobar, Delaney 2, Bradeen 2, Kappel 2, Kinnaman. SB – Thatcher. (Sa04Aug18gm6)

Army 13, Coast Guard 5

Army (2-1), Coast Guard (1-2)

COAST GUARD (7H) – Megan Delaney 1-3, Sammee Bradeen 1-2, Avory Escobar 2-2, Emily Kinnaman 1-2, Sophie Smith 1-2.

ARMY (8H) – Caitlin Dillon (ROE,HB,2R), Ryley Kehr 0-2(BB), Kynzie Mohl 2-3 Morgan Snow 1-2(BB), Elgas 1-2 (BB), Kassidy Kinzie 1-3 (ROE).

HR – Kinzee Peterson. 2B – Escobar, Delaney. RBIs – Delaney 2, Escobar, Kinneman; Madi Moore, Mohl, K.Peterson, Sydnie Peterson, Elgas 2, Jacey Pointer, Kinzie 2. (Sa04Aug18gm5)

Coast Guard 14, Navy 8

Coast Guard 101 (10)11 0 – 14 14 2

Navy 440 ( 2 )20 0 – 8 12 2

Khalyn Hageness(6H,2W), (5) Brynn Leishman, (5.33) Addy Hultgren and Kaylanna DesJarlais, Natalie Dulac. Avory Escobar (3K,10H,4W), (5.33) Shelby Martin and catcher.

COAST GUARD – Ty Atwood 1-4, Avory Escobar 1-4, Taylor Mathews 2-3(BB), Trista Cowan 1-3(BB), Emily Kinnaman 2-3, Courtney Nagle 0-2(BB), Sammee Bradeen 2-3, Megan Delaney0-2(BB), Alexa Kappel 2-3, Ashlynne Copinga 1-2(BB), Lauren Gordon 0-1(2BB), Shelby Martin 2-3, Sophie Smith 0-2(BB).

NAVY – Tomi Brazill 2-4, Kaelyn Smith 1-2(2BB), Natalie Dulac 1-3(BB), Macy Mangold 2-2(BB), Kaylanna DesJarlais 2-3, Kayla Daily 1-3, Kloie Thatcher 1-3, Alivia Atlee 2-3, Hagness 0-1(2BB).

HR – Atwood. 2B – Mathews, Martin; Atlee. RBIs – Kappel 3, Kinnaman, Martin 2, Bradeen, Delaney 2, Atwood 3; Dulac, DesJarlais 2, Kae.Smith, Daily, Venner. SB – Escobar, Delaney 2, Copinga 2; Dulac, Kae.Smith 2 (cr for DesJarlais). CS – Cowan; Brazill. (Fr03Aug18gm4)

Air Force 7, Army 6

Army 000 006 0 – 6 5 2

Air Force 000 340 x – 7 6 2

Madi Moore (8K), (4.33) Erin Elgas (5K) and catcher. Erin Hocker (13K,4H,2BB), (7) Taylor Brinkman and catcher.

ARMY – Caitlin Dillon 1-3, Madi Moore 2-3, Kinzie Peterson 0-2(BB), Morgan Snow 1-3, Elgas 0-0(2BB), Pointer 0-1(BB), Kassidy Kinzie 1-2,

AIR FORCE – Katie Hoppe 1-3, Autumn Porter 1-3, Jasmine SpottedBear 0-2(BB), Ashlynn Nixon 0-2(BB), Taylor Brinkman 1-2, Sara Sumner 1-2, Carly Tipp 0-1(BB), Whitney Durocher 1-2, Arena Porter 1-1(BB).

2B – Moore; Sumner, Porter, Durocher. RBIs – Moore 3, Kehr; Au.Porter, Erin Hocker, Tipp 2, Ar.Porter 2. (Fr03Aug18gm3)

Marines 6, Coast Guard 4

Marines 000 202 0 – 6 7 1

Coast Guard 100 202 1 – 4 9 2

Bri Hoffman (7K,2H,1W), (4) Nicole Ames and catcher. Shelby Martin, () Alexa Kappel and catcher.

MARINES – Sophia Doyle 1-2, Haylee Curry 1-2, Quinn Motichka 0-3, Morgan Sunchild 2-2, Gabby Wirz 0-2, Nicole Ames 2-3, Molly Schmitz 1-2(BB).

COAST GUARD – Trista Cowan 0-3, Sammee Bradeen 2-3, Ty Atwood 1-3, Sophie Smith 1-2Taylor Mathews 1-2, Megan Delaney 1-2, Ashlynne Copinga 1-2, Avory Escobar 1-2, Lauren Gordon 1-2.

HR – Ames. 3B – Doyle. 2B – Sunchild 2; Copinga. RBIs – Curry, Motichka, Sunchild, Ames 2; Soph.Smith 2, Escobar, Gordon. (Fr03Aug18gm2)

Army 7, Navy 4

Army 200 400 1 – 7 8 0

Navy 000 220 0 – 4 5 5

Erin Elgas, (6.33) Jacey Pointer and . Addy Hultgren, (3) Khalyn Hageness, (5) Brynn Leishman and Kaylanna DesJarlais, Natalie Dulac.

ARMY – Caitlin Dillon 1-4, Ryley Kehr 1-4, Cayley Bushong 1-3, Kynzie Mohl 1-2(BB), Kinzie Peterson 1-3, Morgan Snow 0-1(2BB), Pointer 1-2, Kassidy Kinzie 2-2

NAVY – Kaelyn Smith 1-3, Natalie Dulac 1-3, Macy Mangold 1-3, Kaylanna DesJarlais 0-3, Alivia Atlee 0-2, Leishman 1-2, Tomi Brazill 0-1(BB), Hageness 1-2.

3B – Kae.Smith. 2B – Kinzie Peterson, Hageness. RBIs – Sydnie Peterson, Pointer, Kinzie; Kae.Smith, Brazill, Leishman, Dulac. (Fr03Aug18gm1)

batting specs have been abridged by factoring out multiple ‘oh-fors’ and non-Western Montana players for space conservation. Full rendition boxes can be viewed among GameChanger postings and/or at < leaguelineup nwmta >.

Contest details courtesy of Dan Chesnet, Belgrade-News