Polson Softball takes second at State

The Polson Lady Pirates wrapped up the 2025 campaign with a second-place finish at the State A Softball Tournament in Columbia Falls, battling through a challenging five-game stretch that included a blowout win, a pair of tight victories, and two losses to eventual state champion Frenchtown.

Polson entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed from the Northwest A and opened play with a nail-biting 5-4 win over Dillon. After falling behind 2-0, the Lady Pirates responded with a four-run outburst in the fifth. A clutch RBI single by Jaja Nichols in the sixth put Polson back on top after Dillon tied it. Sam Rensvold sealed the win from the circle with a strikeout sandwiched between two flyouts in the seventh.

The Pirates followed up with an emphatic 14-4 win over Laurel in the quarterfinals. Opal Nash and Rensvold each launched home runs, and Olivia Jore went 4-for-5 at the plate. A decisive 11-run seventh inning broke open what had been a close contest, helping Polson advance to the undefeated semifinal.

That brought another showdown with Southwest A champion Frenchtown in the undefeated game—their 24th state tournament meeting since the Lady Broncs joined the Class A ranks. Frenchtown delivered a dominant performance, blanking Polson 10-0 behind Ryan Lucier’s one-hitter and 12 strikeouts. Polson committed seven errors in the loss.

Polson rebounded with one of its most explosive offensive performances of the season, defeating Billings Central 13-7 in a high-scoring third-place showdown. The game featured four ties and five lead changes before Polson erupted for seven runs in the top of the seventh. Jore hit two home runs in the game—surpassing the previous second-place mark for career homers in Polson history—while Emma Smith, Nash, and Liz Cunningham also went deep. The Lady Pirates capitalized on multiple Ram errors to snag a spot in the championship game.

In the title matchup, Polson once again squared off with Frenchtown, but the rematch followed a similar script. Despite early fight—trailing just 4-3 after two innings—the Lady Pirates couldn’t keep pace. Frenchtown exploded for 10 more runs over the next four frames. 

Despite falling short of the championship, Polson’s lineup delivered a strong showing at state. Nash led the Pirates with a .438 average over five games, driving in seven runs and collecting six extra-base hits, including two home runs and four doubles. Jore added six RBIs and two home runs while hitting .353, and Cunningham chipped in with a homer, two doubles, and two RBIs.

In total, Polson hitters drove in 35 runs during the tournament, with Nash, Jore, Rensvold, Pierre, and Nichols all contributing three or more RBIs. The Pirates' power was on full display, especially against Billings Central, when they launched five home runs.

The Lady Pirates finish the season at 19-7-1, a strong mark that included deep postseason success and wins over top-tier teams like Laurel and Billings Central. Their second-place finish marks another chapter in a proud history that includes state championships in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2021. While Frenchtown added yet another trophy to its growing collection, Polson again proved it remains a perennial contender in Class A softball.

For the Pirates, the tournament also highlighted individual milestones. Jore’s two-homer performance against Billings Central gave her 25 for her career, moving her into second all-time in Polson program history. She also became just the second Pirate ever to record double-digit home runs in back-to-back seasons—joining Heidi Rausch, who accomplished the feat in 2012 and 2013.

Rensvold, who took the mound in all five games, finished the tournament with a 3-2 record. Her victories came against Dillon, Laurel, and Billings Central, while both losses were to Frenchtown. She struck out 16 batters across 29⅔ innings and helped at the plate with five RBIs and a home run of her own.

Though the team will graduate key contributors, the 2025 tournament run added to the program's tradition of state tournament grit, heavy-hitting performances, and a legacy of postseason resilience.

    Polson's Ari Rushing snags the ball to win the opening game against Dillon in last week's Class A State Softball Tournament. (Chris Peterson/Hungry Horse News)
  

    Olivia Jore with a huge home run blast versus Billings Central at the State Tournament. (Bob Gunderson photo)

    Samantha Rensvold pitches in the State title game versus Frenchtown. (Bob Gunderson photo)