Polson Pirates down Sentinel after tough loss to Whitefish
The Polson Pirates baseball team rebounded from a tough Northwest A Conference loss to Whitefish with a convincing non-league win over Missoula Sentinel, improving to 3-1 on the season.
Polson opened the week with a 12-1 home loss to Whitefish on Tuesday, April 8, before traveling to Missoula on Wednesday, April 9, and defeating Sentinel by the same score in a complete turnaround.
Whitefish 12, Polson 1
Whitefish jumped on the Pirates early and never looked back, scoring six runs in the first inning and cruising to a six-inning, 12-1 win in the teams’ conference opener.
The Bulldogs capitalized on nine walks and timely hitting, putting pressure on Polson pitchers Landon Shoemake and Wyatt Wadsworth throughout the contest. Whitefish finished with eight hits and took advantage of two Pirate errors.
Polson managed just two hits in the contest – a double by Maddox Bird and a single from Landon Pablo – and scored their lone run in the second inning.
Shoemake took the loss, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on six hits and five walks over three innings. Wadsworth came on in relief and held Whitefish to three runs (two earned) over the final three frames, striking out five and walking four.
Polson 12, Sentinel 1
Polson responded less than 24 hours later in Missoula with an emphatic 12-1 victory over Sentinel, capitalizing on five Spartan errors and a balanced offensive attack to get back in the win column.
The Pirates scored in every inning but the fifth, including a five-run second to pull ahead for good. Cole Wadsworth and Wyatt Wadsworth each had two hits, with Wyatt also driving in two runs. Holden Emerson added two hits and an RBI, while Bird and Pablo each had a hit and an RBI.
Bird also doubled for the second straight day, and Cody Haggard and Noah Agliano added RBIs to help build the lead.
Cole Wadsworth earned the win on the mound, tossing five strong innings and giving up just one unearned run on three hits while striking out four. Landon Pablo closed the final two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two.
Defensively, Polson committed only one error.
WHITEFISH 12, POLSON 1
Whitefish - 603012 - 12 - 8 - 0
Polson - 010000 - 1 - 2 - 2
POLSON HITTING: Cole Wadsworth 0-3, Landon Shoemake 0-2, Wyatt Wadsworth 0-3, Holden Emerson 0-2, Cody Haggard 0-1, Noah Agliano 0-2, Maddox Bird 1-2, Landon Pablo 1-2, Brayson DuMont 0-2; 2B: Bird
POLSON PITCHING: Landon Shoemake (3IP, 6H 9R, 8ER, 5BB, 1SO), Wyatt Wadsworth (3IP, 2H, 3R, 2ER, 4BB, 5SO)
POLSON 12, SENTINEL 1
Polson - 1511013 - 12 - 9 - 1
Sentinal - 0010000 - 1 - 4 - 5
POLSON HITTING: Cole Wadsworth 2-5, Landon Shoemake 0-2, Wyatt Wadsworth 2-3, Holden Emerson 2-5, Cody Haggard 1-3, Noah Agliano 0-3, Maddox Bird 1-4, Landon Pablo 1-4, Keavan Stinger 0-3; RBI: C Wadsworth, Shoemake, W Wadsworth 2, Emerson, Haggard, Agliano 2, Bird, Pablo; 2B: Bird
POLSON PITCHING: Cole Wadsworth (5IP, 3H, 1R, 0ER, 2BB, 4SO), Landon Pablo (2IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, 2SO)
Pirate Landon Shoemake delivers another pitch during last Tuesday's home game against Whitefish. (Bob Gunderson photo)