Lady Pirates keep moving in right direction
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POLSON — Before heading to Whitefish for a sunny Saturday matchup with the Lady Bulldogs, Polson softball head coach Larry Smith said his team was in “unfamiliar waters.”
“We haven’t been two down in the conference in a long time,” Smith said of his two-time defending state champion team. “We need to win (against Whitefish).”
His team must have heard him, because the Lady Pirates wasted no time shutting down Whitefish in five innings, with the game called due to the 10-run margin rule. Polson won the Northwestern A contest 25-0, thanks to Shalaina Duford throwing a no-hitter and tossing in a home run for good measure.
Makaliah Wilson also went 3-for-3.
“We’ve been working hard on the batting, and it’s showing,” Smith noted, although he added Whitefish pitching errors certainly helped on Saturday.
Polson also faced Hamilton at home Thursday, dominating the Lady Broncs 17-1 in another five-inning game called because of a 10-run margin. Duford allowed only three hits, and had two doubles and scored four at the plate.
Backing her up were teammates Martina Marquardt, who went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, Wilson, who tripled and drove in two runs, and Jessica Bagnell with two singles and two RBIs. Earlier in the week, Polson took on Libby at home Tuesday evening. Duford again shone on the mound, allowing just two hits in the Lady Pirates’ 10-1 victory. Polson had 13 hits, with Bagnell going 3 for 4 with a double and four RBIs; a single, two doubles and a point from Duford; and Heidi Rausch contributing a single and two RBIs.
Polson has a break until the weekend Frenchtown Invitational, where the Lady Pirates will play two Friday and two Saturday.
Smith’s players will have to be on top of their game both offensively and defensively to continue their winning ways.
“We got a good draw there; those are some good teams,” he said.
SUMMARY
Polson 25, Whitefish 0
Polson 144 6(10) – 25 17
Whitefish 000 0 0 – 0 0
Shalaina Duford and Jaylin Kenney. Andrea Lamereux and Peyton Twete.
Polson – Ashley Johnson 2-2, Riley Kenney 2-4, Shalaina Duford 1-3, Martina Marquardt 1-3, Heidi Rausch 1-3, Makaliah Wilson 3-3, Jessica Bagnell 2-2, Jaylin Kenney 2-3, Jordan Evertz 2-4, Sidnee Brackey 1-3.
2B – Johnson, Rausch. 3B – R. Kenney, Evertz. HR – Duford.
Polson 17, Hamilton 1
Hamilton 100 00 – 1 3 1
Polson 513 8x – 17 15 0
Rebecka Hood and Candice Dunnigan. Shalaina Duford and Jaylin Kenney. W – Duford (3-2). L – Hood.
POLSON – Ashley Johnson 2-2, Riley Kenney 2-2, Duford 2-3, Martina Marquardt 3-4, Heidi Rausch 1-2, Makaliah Wilson 1-1, Jessica Bagnell 2-2, Colleen Jacobson 0-3, J. Kenney 2-3.
2B – Duford 2. 3B – Wilson. HR – N. Hod. RBIs – Hood, Johnson, Duford 4, Marquardt 3, Wilson 2, Bagnell 2, J. Kenney 2.
Polson 10, Libby 1
Libby 001 000 0 – 1 2 3
Polson 101 035 x – 10 13 1
Hannah England and Lexie Hageness. Shalaina Duford and Jaylin Kenney. W – Duford (2-2). L – England.
