M-A-C Attack: Lady Bulldogs repeat for BC runnerup finish

Mission-Arlee-Charlo (M-A-C) accomplished a monumental feat this season by making a return trip to the BC title tilt, matching their highest finish in program history. The Lady Bulldog squad lost a mere half dozen games this season, all of them to champion teams: once to Frenchtown and the remainder to Florence.

Aside from the lone Florence loss by one run to Polson and narrow two run win over Laurel in clashes against Class A teams, the title tilt was the tightest contest the Lady Falcons had played against any BC competition all season long. After being ten run ruled in their first two encounters, the M-A-C Lady Bulldogs were on the upward ascent, plating runs among double digits to pull within a handful the last three times they collided during postseason play. It was evident that the team was adjusting to Florence to such a degree that one is left to wonder what might have transpired if they had crossed paths another couple of times whether one of those would have gravitated in favor of M-A-C.

Head coach Shane Reum summed up the underlying essence infusing the squad. “This MAC team is full of heart, resilience, and unselfishness. They will always leave every ounce of themselves on the field. I am so blessed to be able to coach these great young ladies!” M-A-C graduates a lone senior, catcher Katelyn Young.

StateBCtally — Izzy Evans 13-21(4HR,2B,9RBI), Jerny Crawford 10-22(2HR,2x3B,3x2B,6RBI,BB), Hayleigh Smith 9-18(2HR,6RBI,3BB), Rheid Crawford 8-22(2HR,2x2B,7RBI), Lettie Umphrey 7-18(2RBI), Gabby Smith 6-18(2B,4RBI,BB,HB), Payton Smith 6-18(2B,3BB), Bennan Anderson 2-20(2RBI,BB), tm20xbh

Talons, tons of talent triumph

Though M-A-C never led during the title tilt, they nevertheless made the game a bonafide question mark at times for the defending champion Lady Falcons when the Lady Bulldogs pulled even during top half of the fourth action to knot the contest even at five apiece. Though Florence would score multiple runs each inning of the second half of the contest in an effort to pull away, M-A-C would craft a response to hang glose. Izzy Evans mashed a solo tater in the fifth, then obliged with an encore by hitting another one out in the sixth. Rheid Crawford also launched a four bag dinger in the sixth, while Hayleigh Smith likewise homered in the seventh. Despite the top two thirds of the Lady Bulldog order generated multiple hits, the Lady Falcons were able to match with comparable plate performance to hold rally attempts at bay. This back-to-back repeat would yield the twelfth title for Florence.

Championship

Florence 14, Mission-Arlee-Charlo 11

2W M-A-C (27-6), 1W Florence (27-1)

Mssn-A-C 013 114 1 – 11 15 5

Florence 230 342 x – 14 15 8

Kylie Kovatch (0K,0W,1HB) and Kasidy Yeoman. Payton Smith (5IP:1K,0W,1HB), (6) Izzy Evans (2K) and Katelyn Young. W – Kovatch (27-1). L – P.Smith (8-1)

MISSION-ARLEE-CHARLO – Jerny Crawford 2-5, Hayleigh Smith 2-4, Rheid Crawford 2-5, Evans 3-4, P.Smith 2-4, Young 3-4, Bennan Andersen 0-4, Gabby Smith 0-3, Lettie Umphrey 1-4, (flex) Cassidy Orr.

FLORENCE-CARLETON – K.Yeoman 3-5, Jaidyn Larson 3-4, Kolbi Wood 2-4, Kovatch 0-4, Rylie Yeoman 0-4, Ava Philbrick 0-3, Madi Potter 0-1, Elise Schneider 3-3, Olivia Couter 0-2, Hailey Sutton 1-2, Autumn Sutton 3-4.

HR – Evans 2, R.Crawford, H.Smith; H.Sutton, Schneider. 2B – J.Crawford, P.Smith; A.Sutton, Larson, Schneider, Wood. RBIs – H.Smith 2, R.Crawford 3, Evans 2, Young; K.Yeoman, Larson 4, Wood 2, Kovatch, Schneider, H.Sutton, A.Sutton 2. HB – G.Smith; Philbrick. SB – J.Crawford. CS – R.Crawford. Runs – J.Crawford 2, H.Smith 2, R.Crawford, Evans 3, (cr), G.Smith, L.Umphrey; K.Yeoman 4, Larson 3, Philbrick, Schneider 3, H.Sutton 2, A.Sutton 2. (Sa28May22gm14st)

Dawgs frustrate Fillies

Rheid Crawford batted a pristine 4-for-4 that included a pair of extra base doubles and a fourth inning home run. Sister Jerny Crawford along with Izzy Evans both went deep in the first inning as the Lady Bulldogs dashed the hopes of the Eastern top-seeded Fillies of advancing to the title game.

Third place

Mission-Arlee-Charlo 9, Shepherd 4

2W M-A-C (27-5), 1E Shepherd (20-7)

Mssn-A-C 420 201 0 – 9 11 3

Shepherd 000 400 0 – 4 4 3

Kendal Vandivort, (1) Paige Goodell (4K,3W) and Tana Ferguson. Izzy Evans and Katelyn Young. W – Evans (19-5). L – Vandivort.

MISSION-ARLEE-CHARLO – Jerny Crawford 2-3, Hayleigh Smith 0-3, Rheid Crawford 4-4, Evans 2-4, P.Smith 1-4, Young 0-4, Bennan Andersen 0-4, Gabby Smith 1-4, Lettie Umphrey 1-3, (flex) Cassidy Orr.

SHEPHERD – Bailey Watson 0-4, Brylinn Olstad 0-3, Wilhelmina Wenz 1-3, Brookelyn Fulton 1-3, Goodell 1-3, Ferguson 0-3, Cassie Moran 0-3, Marissa Roberson 1-3, Jordyn Sprenger 0-2.

HR – R.Crawford, J.Crawford, Evans. 2B – R.Crawford 2, J.Crawford; Goodell. RBIs – J.Crawford, R.Crawford 2, Evans 3; Fulton, Goodell 2. BB – J.Crawford, H.Smith, Young. HB – Olstad. SB – G.Smith, Evans. Runs – J.Crawford 3, H.Smith 2, R.Crawford 2, Evans, L.Umphrey;Olstad, Wenz, Fulton, (cr).(Sa28May22gm13st) 3rd

Foiled by Falcons

Hayleigh Smith mashed a three run tater in MAC's big second inning as part of a three hit performance. Izzy Evans, Payton Smith and Lettie Umphrey also turned in multiple hits with Umphrey batting a pristine 4-for-4 at the plate. The dozen runs were the most any team has scored on Florence all season long. The Lady Bulldogs held a brief three run lead after three. But the Lady Falcon offense would take flight the following inning to overtake the lead they would not relinquish.

Undefeated semifinal

Florence 17, Mission-Arlee-Charlo 12

2W M-A-C (26-5),1W Florence (26-1)

Florence 203 710 4 – 17 17 8

Mssn-A-C 053 000 4 – 12 17 6

Izzy Evans (2K,1W), (6) Payton Smith (2K,4H,1W) and Katelyn Young. Kylie Kovatch (5K,1W) and Kasidy Yeoman. W – Kovatch. L – Evans (18-5)

FLORENCE-CARLETON – K.Yeoman 4-4, Jaidyn Larson 5-5, Kolbi Wood 2-4, Kovatch 0-5, Rylie Yeoman 1-5, Ava Philbrick 2-4, Madi Potter 0-2, Elise Schneider 0-2, Olivia Couter 0-3, Autumn Sutton 3-4.

MISSION-ARLEE-CHARLO – Jerny Crawford 1-5, Hayleigh Smith 3-5, Rheid Crawford 1-5, Evans 3-5, P.Smith 2-5, Young 1-5, Bennan Andersen 1-5, Gabby Smith 1-3, Lettie Umphrey 4-4, (flex) Cassidy Orr.

HR – Wood; H.Smith. 3B – Sutton. 2B – Philbrick, K.Yeoman, Sutton, Larson; J.Crawford, G.Smith. RBIs – K.Yeoman, Wood 7, Philbrick 2, Sutton 2; H.Smith 4, Andersen, G.Smith, L.Umphrey 2 BB – K.Yeoman, Coulter; G.Smith. SB – Wood 2; J.Crawford, G.Smith. Runs – K.Yeoman 5, Larson 4, Wood, R.Yeoman, Potter, Coulter, Sutton 3, (cr); J.Crawford 2, H.Smith 2, P.Smith, Young, G.Smith 3, L.Umphrey 2, (cr). (Fr27May22gm11st)

Sizzling start flounders at finish

The top-seeded Fillies and Lady Bulldogs engaged in a seesaw battle at the start until Shepherd scored five runs in the bottom half of the third to overtake the lead. Thereafter, M-A-C was forced to play catchup, finally tying the contest at seven apiece the top half of the final frame. Gabby Smith would hit a crucial RBI single to overtake the lead, while Izzy Evans provided another key run when she homered. With the Fillies batting last in the bottom half of the inning, Evans held them at bay to allow her Lady Bulldogs to advance another tier on the bracket ladder.

Mission-Arlee-Charlo 9, Shepherd 7

2W M-A-C (26-4), 1E Shepherd (18-6)

Mssn-A-C 004 020 3 – 9 15 2

Shepherd 205 000 0 – 7 10 5

Paige Goodell (9K,1W) and Brookelyn Fulton. Izzy Evans (5K,2W) and Katelyn Young . W – Evans (18-4). L – Goodell.

MISSION-ARLEE-CHARLO – Jerny Crawford 3-5, Hayleigh Smith 3-4, Rheid Crawford 1-4, Evans 3-4, P.Smith 1-4, Young 1-3, Bennan Andersen 0-4, Gabby Smith 2-4, Lettie Umphrey 1-4, (flex) Cassidy Orr.

SHEPHERD – Bailey Watson 1-4, Brylinn Olstad 0-3, Grace Mosher 0-1, Wilhelmina Wenz 2-4, Fulton 2-3, Goodell 1-4, Tana Ferguson 0-3, Cassie Moran 1-4, Marissa Roberson 2-3, Jordyn Sprenger 1-3.

HR – Evans. 3B – J.Crawford. 2B – Roberson; Evans. RBIs – Watson, Ferguson 2, Moran, Roberson 2; J.Crawford, R.Crawford, Evans 3, P.Smith, G.Smith. BB – Fulton, Ferguson; Young. Runs – Olstad, Wenz 2, Fulton, Moran, Roberson, (cr); J.Crawford, H.Smith 2, R.Crawford, Evans 2, Young, G.Smith 2. (Fr27May22gm6st) Fillies 1run shy

Dawgs chill clobberin Cowgirls

Conrad-Choteau put their bats to work early as they built a 6-1 lead through two and a half innings. But the M-A-C Lady Bulldogs countered with a huge bottom half of the eighth that included a grand slam by Jerny Crawford. Crawford, Evans and Gabby Smith all had multiple hits to lead the M-A-C attack.

Mission-Arlee-Charlo 10, Conrad-Choteau 6

2W M-A-C (25-4), 3E Conrad (18-9)

Conrad-Ch 330 000 0 – 6 5 5

Mssn-A-C 108 001 x – 10 9 2

Maggie Bender (4K,6W) and Katie Stokes. Payton Smith (1K,3H,3W), (3) Izzy Evans and Katelyn Young. W – Evans (17-4). L – Bender ().

CONRAD-CHOTEAU – Stokes 0-2, Tessa Brownell 1-3, Ella Stott 2-3, Bender 1-3, Ashlee Stokes 0-3, Zoey Pogreba 1-3, Pressley Naylor 0-2, Evagelene Denzer 0-3, Sadie Stott 0-3.

MISSION-ARLEE-CHARLO – Jerny Crawford 2-4, Hayleigh Smith 1-2, Rheid Crawford 0-4, Evans 2-4, P.Smith 0-1, Young 1-4, Bennan Andersen 1-3, Gabby Smith 2-4, Lettie Umphrey 0-3, (flex) Cassidy Orr.

HR – J.Crawford. 3B – J.Crawford. 2B – E.Stott. RBIs – Brownell, E.Stott 3; J.Crawford 4, R.Crawford, Evans, Andersen. G.Smith 2. BB – Stokes 2, Naylor; H.Smith 2, P.Smith 3, Andersen. ROE – G.Smith. SB – H.Smith 2, R.Crawford. CS – E.Stott. Runs – Stokes 2, Brownell, E.Stott, Bender, Denzer; J.Crawford 2, H.Smith, Evans, P.Smith 2, Young, Orr, G.Smith, L.Umphrey. (Th26May22gm4st)

2022 Western BC Softball Tournament

D'Autremont Complex, Lewistown

Thursday-Saturday, May 25-28

(gm14) Florence 14, Mission-Arlee-Charlo 11 (championship)

(gm13) Mission-Arlee-Charlo 9, Shepherd 4 (3rd place)

(gm12) Shepherd 7, Stillwater 3 (4th place)

(gm11) Florence 17, Mission-Arlee-Charlo 12 (semifinal)

(gm10) Stillwater 19, Conrad-Choteau 8 (lo)

(gm 9) Shepherd 14, Manhattan 12 (lo)

(gm8) Conrad-Choteau 12, Ennis 5 (lo)

(gm7) Manhattan 14, CutBank-Valier 3 (lo)

(gm6) Mission-Arlee-Charlo 9, Shepherd 7

(gm5) Florence 9, Stillwater 5

(gm4) Mission-Arlee-Charlo 10, Conrad-Choteau 6

(gm3) Shepherd 10, Ennis 0 (5 inn.)

(gm2) Stillwater 4, Manhattan 3 (10 inn.)

(gm1) Florence 13, CutBank-Valier 1

Stillwater coop = Columbus-Absarokee-Park City