Unbeaten Broncs unbeaten no more

To heck with run differentials and tie break scenarios. The Columbia Falls softball team set its own destiny last week by beating the unbeaten Frenchtown Broncs 4-3 on May 12.

The Wildkats got the win with stellar defensive play, timely offense and great pitching by freshman Ashley Trueblood.

The Broncs had a 3-0 lead after four innings, including a home run by Frenchtown’s Madison McGuire. But the Kats rallied to tie it in the bottom of the fifth with three runs of their own.

With two on and no one out, freshman Winter Kemppainen dropped down the suicide squeeze to bring in Ciarra Holm to make it 3-1. Kemppainen was safe at first and then stole second. Shaun Rowe hit a blooper fly ball to center that dropped in for a hit scoring another run.

Madison Sandefer was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Erika Nelson hit the ball sharply to the infield. Frenchtown made an error on the force out, and the Kats tied the game. Rowe raced home but was called out at the plate, to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Kathrin Jetty led off with a home run to make it 4-3, and Trueblood pitched her way out of a couple of jams to secure the win.

One day earlier, the Kats beat Libby 6-2 to stay in the state playoff hunt. The Kats finished with a conference record of 5-3 (16-5 overall)to take sole possession of second place. They face Billings Central in the first round of the playoffs on May 24 in Anaconda.

Coach Dave Kehr had a broad smile after the Frenchtown win.

“We hung in there defensively. Unbelievable. They stuck in there and played so well,” he said. “Ashley did so well.”

Kehr said it was Jetty’s first homer of the season, and it left no doubt.

“(Frenchtown) hit the ball hard, but defensively we made good plays,” he said.

C-Falls 6, Libby 2

Col. Falls 002 040 0 - 6 6 1

Libby 000 001 1 - 2 5 1

Ashley Trueblood and Erika Nelson. Hannah England and Lexie Hageness. W - Trueblood. L - England.

COLUMBIA FALLS - Tiffany Hummer 1-4, Jaylynn Cantu 0-4, Shaun Rowe 1-3, Niki Birky 1-2, Madison Sandefer 1-3, Nelson 1-3, Kathrin Jetty 1-3, Ciarra Holm 0-3, Catie King 0-2.

LIBBY - Alyssa Walker 1-4, Mahalah Wedel 0-3, Devon Gallagher 2-3, Hageness 1-2, Kelsey Klin 1-2, Dalyn Germany 0-3, Rebecca Kyriss 0-3, Kim Tangen 1-2, England 0-3.

2B - Hageness. HR - Sandefer. RBIs - Klin, Walker, Sandefer 4, Birky 2.

C-Falls 4, Frenchtown 3

Frenchtown 020 100 0 - 3 10 1

Columbia Falls 000 031 x - 4 7 1

Abby Indreland and Madison McGuire. Ashley Trueblood and Erika Nelson. W - Trueblood (5-3). L - Indreland.

Frenchtown - Katie Kees 0-3, Kaitlyn Indreland 0-4, Keller Leishman 3-4, Abby Indreland 2-4, Madison McGuire 1-4, Sarah Lester 2-4, Kayla Weishaar 2-2, Holly Jacobs 0-1, Emma Oostdyk 0-3.

2B - Leishman, Weishaar. HR - McGuire. RBI - McGuire, 1, Weishaar 1

Columbia Falls - Tiffany Hummer 1-4, Jaylynn Cantu 0-2, Winter Kemppainen 1-2, Shaun Rowe 1-2, Niki Birky 0-2, Madison Sandefer 0-2, Erika Nelson 1-2, Kathrin Jetty 1-3, Ciarra Holm 1-3, Ashley Trueblood 1-3.

HR - Jetty; 2B -Rowe; RBI - Kemppainen 1, Rowe 1, Jetty 1