Making history: Polson plays doubleheader
There is only one time you can be the first in school history, and Polson's baseball team rose to the occasion on Saturday.
Playing a doubleheader against Florence in their inaugural high school baseball games last Saturday, the Pirates picked up an 8-2 win in the first game and fell 6-2 in the nightcap.
Since Florence still had ice on the diamond, the doubleheader was played on Hamilton's field, which was also supposed to be in play Saturday, but was that game was cancelled due to heavy snow in Bozeman.
“It was really one of the first times we were outside and could take things like grounders,” Polson Head Coach Brad Fisher said. “They were in the same boat as well with a lot of inside practices.”
In the first game, Polson senior and Shoreline Community College signee Dawson DuMont struck out eight over three innings while also going 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run, a double, and two RBIs.
In his high school level baseball debut, fellow senior Jarrett Wilson went 2-for-3 and hit a home run. Cason Graham pitched three innings of middle relief for the Pirates, striking out six in the process.
The real key to Polson sailing away with the win was their early start on things. Dumont's home run came in the first inning, while George Wyman also drove in a run in the second inning, and Dumont scored again in the third when a throwing error on his double allowed him to score.
Wilson's home run was one of two insurance runs in the fifth.
Landon Shoemake also had two hits for the Pirates and drove in two runs.
“During this doubleheader, we were really trying kids out in new spots and seeing how it went,” Fisher said. “I was really impressed with how few mistakes we had considering how little time we have been outside. Pitching was good too, we really didn’t walk or hit many batters and give up free bases, we threw strikes.”
In the second game, Dumont scored early on a fielder's choice, but Florence jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third inning en route to their 6-2 victory.
Shoemake would come in to pitch the final two innings and struck out four, but Florence finished with 11 hits total with a two-run second and three-run third giving them a strong advantage.
Polson had five hits, with Wilson, Espn Fisher, DuMont, Shoemake and Cymian Kauley picking up hits. The Pirate batters were patient, however, snagging seven walks.
“Both teams limited how long their kids pitched, we typically went 30-45 pitches to get them warmed up and changed them out in this early season,” Fisher said.
At Hamilton
POLSON 8, FLORENCE 2
POLSON - 111 - 023 - 00 -- 8 - 8 - 3
FLORENCE - 000 - 000 - 02 -- 2 - 4 - 2
Polson Hitting: Hits - J Wilson (2), D DuMont (2), L Shoemake (2), K Nash, G Wyman; 2B: D DuMont, HR: J Wilson, D DuMont, HBP: C Kauley, E Fisher, J Wilson, SB: A Gfroerer, L Shoemake, K Nash, E Fisher, LOB: 6
Polson Pitching: D DuMont 3 innings pitched, 1 hit, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts; C Graham 3 innings pitched 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts; Z Muzquiz 1 inning pitched, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 error, 2 strikeouts
FLORENCE 6, POLSON 2
POLSON - 100 - 010 - 0 - 2 - 5 - 1
FLORENCE - 023 - 010 -x - 6 - 11 - 0
Polson Hitting: Hits - J Wilson, E Fisher, D DuMont, L Shoemake, C Kauley; HBP: C Haggard, SB: J Wilson, LOB: 9
Polson Pitching: J Wilson 2 innings pitched, 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout; C Kauley 2 innings pitched, 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts; L Shoemake 2 innings pitched, 3 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts