Polson Softball battles to draw with Belgrade, shuts out Hamilton

There is no place like home to start the softball season.

Polson’s 2025 softball campaign started near the shores of Flathead Lake with two games that provided a good test for the Lady Pirates’ first time out.

Polson recorded a hard-fought 4-4 tie against the Belgrade Lady Panthers before bouncing back with a dominant 6-0 win over Hamilton in a weekend doubleheader.

Polson 4, Belgrade 4

 In a back-and-forth battle against Belgrade, the Lady Pirates showed resilience in the midst of deadlock. Polson got off to a fast start, plating three runs in the first inning. Belgrade responded in the top of the second, cutting the deficit to one with two runs.

Polson scored again in the second inning, thanks to a key double steal where Peyton Main swiped home while Teagan Bowler took second.

The Lady Panthers tacked on two more in the third, tying the game 4-4.

Despite numerous scoring opportunities, including a bases-loaded situation in the fifth inning, Polson could not push across the go-ahead run.

Belgrade’s Olivia Mills worked out of the jam, striking out Jore to end the threat. Mills finished with nine strikeouts in five innings, allowing 10 hits and three walks.

Sam Rensvold took the circle for Polson, going the distance while striking out five and allowing five hits. She also had a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double. Jore and Liz Cunningham each added two hits, and each had RBIs. Opal Nash also had two hits in the matchup.

Polson 6, Hamilton 0

 After the draw with Belgrade, Polson came out firing against Hamilton, powered by a grand slam from Olivia Jore that sailed over the left-field fence in the fifth inning. Jore’s blast broke open what had been a scoreless game and set the tone for the Lady Pirates’ first win of the season, 6-0.

Polson added two other runs off RBIs from Opal Nash and Sierra Perez.

Rensvold was dominant in the circle, tossing five shutout innings with eight strikeouts while allowing just two hits. Madison Turner closed out the game with a perfect sixth inning.

Emma Smith led Polson at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a triple. Perez also had a multi-hit game, collecting two singles and an RBI.

At Polson

 BELGRADE 4, POLSON 4

Belgrade - 022 - 00 - 4 - 5 - 0

Polson - 310 - 00 - 4 - 10 - 3

POLSON HITTING: Sam Rensvold 3-3, Olivia Jore 2-4, Liz Cunningham 2-3, Madison Turner 0-3, Emma Smith 0-1, Sierra Perez 1-2, Opal Nash 2-3, JJ Pierre 0-2, Logan McCrea 0-1, Jaja Nichols 0-2; 2B: Rensvold, Cunningham, RBI: Jore, Perez, Cunningham

POLSON PITCHING: Sam Rensvold (5K, 5H, 2W)

POLSON 6, HAMILTON 0

Hamilton - 000 - 000 - 2 - 2 - 2

Polson - 000 - 51x - 6 - 6 - 1

POLSON HITTING: Sam Rensvold 0-2, Olivia Jore 1-2, Liz Cunningham 1-3, Madison Turner 0-2, Logan McCrea 0-1, Emma Smith 2-3, Sierra Perez 2-3, Opal Nash 1-3, Alijah Adams 0-2, Jaja Nichols 0-2; HR: Jore; RBI: Jore 4, Nash, Perez

POLSON PITCHING:Sam Rensvold (5IP:8K,2H,1W), (6) Madison Turner (1IP)

Hamilton edges Ronan in defensive showdown

The Ronan Maidens opened their 2025 softball season with a hard-fought road battle against the Hamilton Lady Broncs on Friday, March 21, falling 3-1 in a defensive showdown.

Hamilton’s ace, Mariah Johnson, struck out 10 batters while allowing just two hits and one walk over seven innings. Ronan’s Kaydance Santos countered with an impressive outing of her own, striking out nine while giving up only three hits and two walks, but four defensive errors proved costly for the Maidens.

Hamilton took control early, plating a run in the first inning and adding two more in the third. Ronan responded in the fourth inning with a spark from Nevaeh Perez, who launched a solo home run to put the Maidens on the board. However, the Lady Broncs’ kept Ronan from adding to their tally.

The Maidens showed resilience at the plate and in the field, with Raela Bartel and Perez providing Ronan’s hits. JuDasha Ellsworth also executed a successful sacrifice hit to move runners into scoring position.

At Hamilton

HAMILTON 3, RONAN 1

Ronan - 000 - 100 - 0 - 1 - 2 - 4

Hamtilon - 102 - 000 - x - 3 -3 - 0

RONAN HITTING: Ally Luedtke 0-3, Santos 0-3, Nevaeh Perez 1-2, Kylee Kelch 0-3, Kai-Cee Sorrell 0-3, Crockett 0-3, Autumn Lozeau 0-2, Raela Bartel 1-2, JuDasha.Ellsworth 0-1 ; HR: N. Perez, RBI: Perez

RONAN PITCHING: Kaydance Santos (9K,3H,2W)

MAC hits three home runs in season opener 

Mission-Arlee-Charlo (MAC) delivered a dominant performance on Friday, March 21, rolling to a convincing 10-1 road victory with three home runs over Thompson Falls/Noxon in Class B softball action at Thompson Falls to open the season.

Jada Domebo starred in the circle for MAC, tossing a complete-game gem. Domebo held Thompson Falls/Noxon to just one hit and one run, striking out seven batters in her stellar seven-inning outing.

Offensively, MAC was paced by Maia Christopher, who finished an impressive 4-for-5 at the plate, including a home run.

Avia Lee and Kensey Burke also provided significant firepower for MAC. Lee went 2-for-4 at the plate, blasting a home run and driving in three runs. Burke matched Lee's RBI total with three runs driven in, including a home run of her own.

Domebo helped her own cause by going 2-for-3 with a double, and Maddy Hanken chipped in with a timely double. GG Hawk and Kensey Burke also collected hits.

MAC scored first in the opening inning, and after Thompson Falls/Noxon briefly tied the game at 1-1 in the second, MAC unleashed their decisive eight-run third inning, highlighted by back-to-back home runs.

Thompson Falls/Noxon struggled to generate offense against Domebo’s pitching, managing only a single hit and failing to mount any significant threat after the second inning.

At Thompson Falls

MAC 10, THOMPSON FALLS/NOXON 1

MAC - 108 - 100 - 0 - 10 - 11 - 2

TFN - 010 - 000 - 0 - 1 - 1 - 2

MAC HITTING: Maia Christopher 4-5, GG Hawk 1-3, Maddy Hanken 1-3, Avia Lee 2-4, Kieran Incashola 0-3, Jada Domebo 2-3, Brooke Tanner 0-2, Kensey Burke 1-3, Amelia Cronk 0-4, Maizey McDonald 0-1, Abbie Orr 0-2; RBI: Christopher, Lee (3), Burke (3), Cronk; 2B: Domebo, Hanken; HR: Lee, Burke, Christopher

MAC PITCHING: Jada Domebo (7IP, 1H, 1R, 7SO)

    Senior Samantha Rensvold took the circle for Polson in a tied game against Belgrade. (Bob Gunderson photo)