Lady Pirates searching for confidence
Nicole Tavenner
Lady Pirate Shortstop Kaelyn Smith fires toward first base for the out.
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
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POLSON — With a current season record of 9-2, it has been a successful start for the Polson Lady Pirates softball team. Although being a powerhouse in their district, Head Coach Larry Smith is looking to fine tune his team before the end of the season.
“I would like to see us be a little more consistent,” Smith said. “In practice, we are just trying to get better at the basic mechanics of softball.”
The Lady Pirates are a young team this year, according to Smith, which is why there are a little more nerves in the dugout than usual.
“I would like to see the girls build some more confidence, especially the newer girls,” Smith said. “That will be important towards the end.”
Senior Lydia Dupuis has been patient with the underclassmen and is hoping experiences at the plate will help.
“We are working on getting our bats going right away in a game,” Dupuis said. “That will come with confidence.”
At a home game on Thursday against Columbia Falls, the Lady Pirates gave the crowd an action-packed match-up. Although it was a slow start, the Lady Pirates eventually found their groove. In the fourth inning, Junior Ashely Benson hit a bomb into midfield to score two runs for the Lady Pirates, putting the score 5-4 in Polson’s favor. Columbia Falls stayed competitive, making some big plays in the sixth inning to tie the game 6-6. Despite the Wildkats’ efforts to stick with the Lady Pirates, Polson scored two runs in the sixth inning and held Columbia Falls in the seventh for an 8-6 conference win.
Junior Haley Fyant was at the mound for the Lady Pirates and was confident they would come out with the win.
“We are a comeback team,” Fyant said. “We fight until the end and that is just because we are all competitive.”
On Friday the Lady Pirates traveled to Frenchtown looking for another win. The Broncs started the first inning off with a 3-run homerun that put the Lady Pirates behind right way. Polson fought back in the sixth inning, but Frenchtown answered back with a walk-off grand slam that led to a 16-3 win over Polson.
With the first half of their season almost finished, Dupuis is looking forward.
“We are a work in progress,” Dupuis said. “We have a lot of talent and are looking for a strong progressive season.”
The Lady Pirates head to the Frenchtown Invitational on Friday, April 29 in hopes for a weekend full of confidence — and wins.
Results
Thursday, April 21
Columbia Falls 102 102 0 — 6 9 1
Polson 100 502 x — 8 9 3
KJ Schweikert and Samantha Collins Hayley Fyant and Ashley Benson. W —Fyant. L — Schweikert.
POLSON — Kaelyn Smith 1-4, Benson 2-4, Fyant 1-1, Hannah Potter 0-3, Lydia Dupuis 2-3, Quinn Motichka 0-3, Hannah Fryberger 1-2, Camas Renault 1-3, Laurel Bitterman 1-3, Whitney Barr 0-1.
2B—Hovde, Ellis Benson RBIs—Kehr (2), Hovde, Ellis Benson (2), Dupuis, Fryberger, Renault (2), Bitterman.
Friday, April 22
Polson 000 012 – 3 5 1
Frenchtown 401 01(10) – 16 19 7
Haley Fyant, Camas Renault (5) and Ashley Benson. Laci Willett and Brooke Yarnall. W – Yarnall (6-2). L – Fyant.
POLSON – Kaelyn Smith 0-4, Benson 2-4, Fyant 2-4, Hannah Potter 0-4, Lydia Dupuis 0-3, Quinn Motichka 0-3, Hannah Fryberger 1-3, Renault 0-3, Laurel Bitterman 0-3.
2B – Fryberger Yarnall, Shourds, Hochhalter. 3B – Delaney. HR – Yarnall, Shourds. RBIs – Benson, Potter Yarnall 5, Shourds 5, Hochhalter 2, Bagnell, Rockwood, Willett.
