Locals shine at Veterans Memorial Softball Classic

Several Mission Valley players competed among teams named after five branches of the military at the eighth annual Veterans Memorial Softball Classic hosted by the Nicholas Bloem VFW Post in Belgrade last weekend.

The championship featured a distinct nautical theme when undefeated Coast Guard staved off a challenge from Navy to win this year's title tilt 10-2. Half a dozen local players competed in the title game. Lexy Orien of Polson and Jerny Crawford of Mission-Arlee-Charlo contributed a pair of doubles for the Coast Guard, while Kooper Page of Mission-Arlee-Charlo, Mckenna Hanson of Polson, Macao Jackson of Ronan and Grace Hardy of Sentinel contributed four hits to Navy's runner-up finish.

Katelyne Druyvestein and Kobbey Smith of Polson, and Cassidy Bagnell of Frenchtown, were part of the Marines squad that placed fourth after falling 12-11 to Navy in extra innings. Bagnell is the niece of Mission Valley area doctors Tim and Kelly Bagnell.

All-stater Liev Smith of Mission-Arlee-Charlo competed as part of the Air Force roster.

The marathon match of the tournament stretched nine innings when Coast Guard edged Army 5-4, with pitcher Kennedy Venner of Billings West collecting 19 strikeouts in the victory.

Missoula Sentinel grad Grace Hardy, whose parents both graduated from Charlo, hit almost everything thrown her direction and ended the tournament with double-digits in hits.

Hardy's swings at the plate as well as mound performance sparked Navy’s second-day surge as they overcame an 0-2 start by reeling off three straight wins to make the championship. Bellevue College-bound Morgan Sunchild of Great Falls won the home run derby with 10 home runs over the course of the two rounds. University of Montana-bound Hardy placed second with seven taters.

Ronan’s Jackson, who is headed to Columbia Basin College, tied for third in the home run derby with a half dozen taters.

Katie Schmidt of Eureka won the catcher's pop-to-pop, while Crawford of M-A-C came in third.

Avery Carlson of Havre won the base running segment.

2021 Veterans Memorial Softball Classic

AUg. 6-7 at Belgrade Softball Complex

Championship: Coast Guard 10, Navy 2

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

Coast Guard 311 140 0 – 10 14 0

Navy 100 000 1 – 2 8 4

Lexi Haney, (4) Maggie Bender, Kennedy Venner (2IP:3K,2H) and Sami Knapp. Macao Jackson (01IP:1K,4H,1W), (1) Grace Hardy (3.2IP:5K,7H,1W,1HB), (5) Sadie Smith (3IP:3H,1W) and Mckenna Hanson, (5) Sam Lovenguth. W – Haney. L – Jackson.

COAST GUARD (MICHAEL KIRKPATRICK) – Haley Wolsky 2-4, HaiLeigh Davis 0-3, Jerny Crawford 1-2, Morgan Sunchild 2-2, Maggie Bender 1-1, Lexy Orien 1-3, Kenna Thomas 2-3, Macee Greenwood 1-3, Sammie Labrum 2-3, Lexie Stahlman 1-3, Kennedy Venner 1-3, Haney 0-3, Knapp 0-3.

NAVY (RICHARD COLEMAN) – Grace Hardy 2-2, S.Smith 0-3, Maddie Tomasetti 1-2, Dacee Zent 1-3, Jackson 1-2, Kooper Page 0-2, Tycelee Bowler 0-2, Shelby Miotke 0-2, Hanson 1-2, Marissa Taylor 1-2, Aubrey Allison 1-2, Sam Lovenguth 0-2, Payton Mallett 0-2.

2B – Wolsky, Orien, J.Crawford, Sunchild; Jackson, Hardy. RBIs – Sunchild 5, Orien, Thomas, Stahlman, Venner; S.Smith, Tomasetti. SF – Sunchild. BB – H.Davis, J.Crawford, Bender; Tomasetti. HB – Bender; Hardy. ROE – Venner, Orien, Wolsky, J.Crawford. SB – Wolsky 3, J.Crawford, Stahlman.

Third-place: Navy 12, Army 8

Navy loaded the bases with two out during the top half of the fifth action. But Glacier's Ella Farrell left them all stranded with the third out. Army pulled even in the bottom of the fifth to make it 7-all. With Macao Jackson on third and Kooper Page on second, Tycelee Bowler smacked a two-run extra-base hit. Navy loaded the bases in the top half of the seventh and pushed through a pair of insurance runs to forestall an Army surge.

Navy (3-2), Army (1-2)

Navy 312 103 2 – 12 19 1

Army 105 011 0 – 8 12 1

Macao Jackson (3.1IP:3K,5H,2W), (4) Sadie Smith, (7) Grace Hardy (1IP:K,1H,1W) and Mckenna Hanson, (4) Sam Lovenguth, (7) Hanson. Ella Farrell, (6) Camden Susott and Kynzie Mohl, (6) Kasidy Yeoman.

NAVY (RICHARD COLEMAN) – Grace Hardy 3-4(2B,RBI,SB), Jackson 1-2(HR,3RBI,BB), Kooper Page 1-3, Hanson 2-3(SB).

ARMY (TEC4 LAVERNE PARISH) – K.Yeoman 1-3(2B,RBI,FC), Kynzie Mohl 3-3(2B,2RBI), Susott 1-2(), Michael Shea 1-3(RBI), Farrell 1-3, Brook Badovinac 1-3(CS), Alyssa Blankenship 1-3.

Navy 12, Marines 11 (8 inn.)

Navy ( 3 )50 300 1 – 12 14 1

Marines (10)01 000 0 – 11 9 2

Kooper Page (⅓IP:0K,5H,3W), (1) Sadie Smith (2.2IP:3K), (4) Grace Hardy (5IP:11K,1H,2W) and Mckenna Hanson (4) Sam Lovenguth. Katelyne Druyvestein (3IP:4K), (4) Makenna Burke, (8) Druyvestein (1IP:3K) and Hollis Baker, (4) Taylor Feller.

NAVY (RICHARD COLEMAN) – G.Hardy 4-4(2B,4RBI), Jackson 0-3, Ko.Page 1-3(RBI), Hanson 1-3.

MARINES (PFC LOUIS CHARLO) – Cassidy Bagnell 0-2, (2BB,SB) Druyvestein 1-3(3qab), Kobbey Smith 1-3(RBI), Aubrey Nedens 1-3(HRgs,4RBI).

Coast Guard 5, Army 4 (9)

Coast Guard 000 011 012 – 5 10 2

Army 001 010 011 – 4 6 3

Kennedy Venner (9IP:19K) and catcher. Ella Farrell, (6) Camden Susott and catcher(s).

COAST GUARD (MICHAEL KIRKPATRICK) – Jerny Crawford 1-3, Lexy Orien 0-2(BB,ROE), Sami Labrum 0-3(RBI,2FC)

ARMY (T4C LAVERNE PARISH) – Kynzie Mohl 1-2(2B,HB), Farrell 1-2(SB).

Navy 10, Air Force 7

Navy 102 204 1 – 10 16 0

Air Force 120 103 0 – 7 9 0

Kooper Page (2.1IP:3K,3H,5W), Sadie Smith, (5) Macao Jackson (3IP:5K,4H,2W) and catcher(s). Taylor Munro (2IP), Ella Crookston (3.1IP:3K,11H,3W), (6) Kylie Kovatch (1.2IP:0K,1H) and catcher(s).

NAVY (RICHARD COLEMAN) – Grace Hardy 3-3(HR,2B,RBI), Jackson 2-3(HR,3RBI,2sB), Kooper Page 2-3(SB), Mckenna Hanson 1-2

AIR FORCE (DEAN POGREBA) – Liev Smith 0-2(BB), Taylor Munro 0-2, Katie Schmidt 0-2.

Marines 4, Air Force 3

Air Force 000 030 0 – 3 7 1

Marines 110 020 x – 4 8 1

Kylie Kovatch (4IP), (5) Taylor Munro and catcher. Katelyne Druyvestein (4⅓IP:3K), Makenna Burke (2⅔IP:3K) and catcher. W – Druyvestein (1-1). L – Kovatch.

AIR FORCE (DEAN POGREBA) – Liev Smith 1-3(2B,2RBI,FC,R).

MARINES (PFC LOUIS CHARLO) – Druyvestein 0-3, Cassidy Bagnell 2-2, Kobbey Smith 1-2.

Air Force 7, Navy 3

Air Force (1-1), Navy (0-2)

Navy 100 101 0 – 3 6 0

Air Force 041 002 x – 7 10 1

Grace Hardy (1.2IP:2K,4H,1W), Sadie Smith, (5) Macao Jackson (2IP:3H) and catcher(s). Ella Crookston, Kylie Kovatch and catcher(s).

NAVY (RICHARD COLEMAN) – Hardy 1-2(3B,RBI,HB), Jackson 1-2, Kooper Page 1-2, Mckenna Hanson 1-2(3B),

AIR FORCE (DEAN POGREBA) – Liev Smith 1-2(RBI), Taylor Munro 1-2(RBI), Katie Schmidt 0-2.

Coast Guard 7, Marines 3

Marines 000 020 1 – 3 5 3

Coast Guard 301 102 x – 7 8 0

Katelyne Druyvestein (3IP:4K,5H,2W), Makenna Burke and catcher. Kennedy Venner (6IP:16K), (7) Maggie Bender and catcher. W – Venner. L – Druyvestein.

MARINES (PFC LOUIS CHARLO) – Druyvestein 0-3, Cassidy Bagnell 0-2(BB,R), Kobbey Smith 0-2.

COAST GUARD (MICHAEL KIRKPATRICK) – Jerny Crawford 1-1(2B,RBI,SH,BB,ROE), Lexy Orien 1-2(BB,ROE,2R).

Army 6, Navy 2

Navy 100 100 0 – 2 10 1

Army 121 020 x – 6 10 0

Kooper Page (3IP:1K,3H,3W), Sadie Smith and catcher(s). Ella Farrell, Camden Susott and catcher(s).

NAVY (RICHARD COLEMAN) – Grace Hardy 1-1(2HB,SB), Kooper Page 2-2(RBI,BB), Mckenna Hanson 0-2(BB), Macao Jackson 1-2.

ARMY (T4C LAVERNE PARISH) – Kynzie Mohl 1-2, Alyssa Blankenship 1-2, Farrell 1-2(2RBI)

Marines 2, Air Force 1

Marines 000 101 0 – 2 8 1

Air Force 000 010 0 – 1 1 1

Katelyne Druyvestein (4IP:6K,0H,0W), Makenna Burke and catcher(s). Kylie Kovatch (4IP:4K), Ella Crookston (3IP:7K) and catcher(s).

MARINES (PFC LOUIS CHARLO) – Druyvestein 1-3(2B), Kobbey Smith 0-2, Cassidy Bagnell 1-2.

AIR FORCE (DEAN POGREBA) – Liev Smith 0-1(BB).