Rowe tosses no-hitter; shuts out Libby

Morgan Rowe has come into her own in the pitching circle.

The Columbia Falls junior tossed a no-hitter as the Wildkats blanked Browning 10-0 Monday in a softball make-up game. Rowe pitched a 3-hitter as C-Falls shut out defending Class A state champion Libby 5-0 Tuesday.

C-Falls suffered its first loss of the season last Thursday as Polson posted an 11-3 win in Columbia Falls.

The Wildkats go to 3-1 in Western A play going into the Frenchtown Tournament this weekend. C-Falls faces Hamilton and Corvallis on Friday, and plays Anaconda and Frenchtown Saturday.

Rowe struck out nine Browning batters and allowed only two baserunners — one on a walk and another on an error.

She fanned six Libby batters and walked only one.

"She's working hard on starting ahead of batters, and then she can mix it up," C-Falls coach Dave Kehr said of Rowe's pitching of late. "She's maturing as a pitcher … Libby is a good hitting team."

C-Falls had five of its seven hits against the Lady Loggers in a four-run third inning. After a bunt single by Renae Nelson, Tia Yaeger and Amanda Milliard had singles. Amber James walked, then Kayla Stinger singled.

Yaeger was 2-for-4 for the Wildkats. Yaeger, Milliard and Stinger had RBIs. James was on base three times — all on walks.

"Tia is hitting the ball extremely well," Kehr said of Yaeger.

C-Falls had only one error in each of this week's wins.

"Defensively we're playing well. We're finding a lineup," Kehr said.

Nicky Lapka was 2-for-4 for Libby. Taylor Armstrong took the loss in the circle.

C-Falls led Browning 6-0 after two innings, and the game ended in the six via the 10-run rule.

The Wildkats had 11 hits. Yaeger was 3-for-3 and scored four runs. Rowe was 3-for-3. James went 3-for-4 with two triples and drove in four runs.

Polson built a 10-0 lead in the fifth inning against C-Falls. The only Wildkat runs came in the bottom of the sixth.

Cassidee Skiles was 2-for-3 with two doubles for C-Falls. Nelson also had two hits.

Charlee Jensen pitched the win, allowing five hits. Rowe took the loss, giving up 13 hits.

Staci Benson was 3-for-5 with two RBIs for Polson. Rochelle Woods and Liz Simshaw had two hits each.

Polson 314 110 1 - 11 13 0

C. Falls 000 003 0 - 3 5 2

Charlee Jensen and Kayla Duford; Morgan Rowe and Amber James. WP — Jensen. LP — Rowe (1-1).

POLSON — Staci Benson 3-5, Susan Perez-Tenas 0-5, Sarah Newton 1-4, Rochelle Woods 2-3, Sallie Sams 1-3, Dakota Peterson 0-1, Duford 1-3, Liz Simshaw 2-4, Jensen 2-4, Kodi Woods 0-4.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Renae Nelson 1-4, Tia Yaeger 0-4, Amanda Milliard 1-3, James 0-2, Kayla Stinger 0-3, Cassidee Skiles 2-3, Shaun Rowe 0-2, M. Rowe 0-2, Cedar Smith 0-3, Tessa Cowan 0-0.

Browning 000 000 - 0 0 3

C. Falls 330 112 - 10 11 1

Alyssa Hodson and Sara Hora; Rowe and James. WP — Rowe. LP — Hodson.

BROWNING — Shanelle Skunkcap 0-3, Taylor Kennerly 0-3, Kenzie Wellman 0-2, Ashilynn Fish 0-2, Sarah Hora 0-2, Alyssa Hodson 0-2, Milynn Lazyboy 0-2, Destini Ell 0-2, Ashton Smith 0-1.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Nelson 1-3, Yaeger 3-3, Milliard 0-3, James 3-4, Stinger 1-4, Skiles 0-1, Cowan 0-3, M. Rowe 3-3, Smith 0-2.

Libby 000 000 0 - 0 3 1

C. Falls 004 010 x - 5 7 0

Taylor Armstrong and Kat Wilson; Rowe and James. WP — Rowe. LP — Armstrong.

LIBBY — Amber Brugham 0-3, Alysha Martin 1-3, Nicky Lapka 2-3, Jordan Refsland 0-3, Candace Hendrickson 0-3, Jamie Gilden 0-3, Lexi Hagness 0-2, Wilson 0-3, LaRona Lusher 0-2.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Nelson 1-3, Yaeger 2-4, Milliard 1-3, James 0-0, Stinger 1-3, Skiles 0-3, S. Rowe 1-3, M. Rowe 1-3, Smith 0-3.