Wildkats post 2-2 mark at Frenchtown Tournament

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

Columbia Falls earned wins over Ronan and Butte Central and posted a 2-2 record last weekend at the Frenchtown Tournament.

The Wildkats opened with a 6-5 victory over Ronan on Friday, then were edged by Anaconda, 4-3, in eight innings. On Saturday, Drew Walter and Jessica Owens pitched the Kats past Butte Central, 9-2. CFHS capped the tourney with a 14-6 loss to a powerful Frenchtown team later in the day.

For the second time, softball action at Ronan, rescheduled for Tuesday, was postponed due to rain. The non-conference games might be rescheduled.

Coming back from a 4-3 deficit, the Kats scored three times in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally past Ronan in the Frenchtown tourney. Pitching in relief of Walter, Owens did not allow a hit in two innings of work. Walter scattered eight hits.

Tia Yaeger and Amanda Milliard led the Kats at the plate, each going 2-for-3. Each had an RBI.

CFHS led Anaconda 2-0 after five innings, but the Copperheads tied it with two in the sixth then scored a pair in the eighth. In the bottom half, the Kats scored once but could not get the equalizer.

Owens took the loss, allowing eight hits.

The Kats had only five hits, all singles.

Using a four-run third inning, the Kats build an early lead over Butte Central. CFHS pounded out 12 hits. Casside Skiles led the way, going 3-for-4 with three doubles and three RBIs. Renae Nelson, Lindsay Nelson, April James and Yaeger each had two hits.

Walter was the winning pitcher. Owens came on to pitch in the fourth. They combined to allow just three hits.

Frenchtown mounted a 10-0 lead in the third inning before the Kats got on the scoreboard.

Shelby Russ did it all for Frenchtown, smacking three home runs while going 5-for-5. Those were five of the Lady Broncs' 17 hits. Russ also pitched the win, allowing eight hits.

Morgan Rowe took the loss for the Kats.

Skiles was 2-for-3 with a double, and Lindsay Nelson also has two hits.

"We had girls on at the end," CFHS coach Dave Kehr said. "I felt pretty good about our effort.

"I feel real good coming away from there," the coach said of the Frenchtown tourney. "The girls got to see some new pitchers and good teams. A lot of girls got playing time."