Kats down Dogs in season opener

The Columbia Falls softball team rolled over Whitefish 12-1 in its season opener away March 28 against the Lady Bulldogs.

The Wildkats racked up 12 hits in the win and got a strong pitching performance from sophomore Ashley Trueblood, who had eight strikeouts and allowed just five hits in the win.

The Kats fielded just nine players — the remaining team members traveled to Cut Bank for a junior varsity tournament there. But the skeleton crew was more than enough to get the job done against Whitefish.

Trueblood pitched out of a couple jams early in the game. She stranded two runners in the first inning and one in the third. Her one mistake came early on when Lady Bulldog Malia Morris hit a triple.

The game saw some rain. A scheduling snafu had Whitefish showing up to play at 4 p.m. and the Kats showing at 5:30 p.m. In the end, the teams split the difference and started at 5 p.m., dodging showers until the fourth inning.

Sophomore Carlee Brown sparked the Kats’ offense. The speedy center fielder went 3-for-4 with a walk, four runs and three stolen bases. Catie King cracked a couple of doubles for the Kats and also went 3-for-4. Tiffany Hummer was 2-for-5 with a run and a stolen base.

The Kats led 5-1 after three innings in the non-conference game. The teams will meet two more times in conference action later this season.

Whitefish has improved over last year. The Kats had a slow start against Lady Bulldog pitcher Andrea Lamaroux. Catcher Courtney Murray did a good job in her first varsity action behind the plate for the Kats.

The Kats have this week off for spring break and then face the Lady Pirates in a big conference game in Polson on April 9. Polson opened their season by walloping Corvallis 19-2.

The Kats then return home April 11 for another game against Whitefish. This one counts in the conference standings.

Col. Falls 104 301 3 – 12 12 0

Whitefish 001 000 0 – 1 5 4

Ashley Trueblood and Courtney Murray. Andrea Lamaroux and Madison Davis. W - Trueblood (1-0). L - Lamaroux.

COLUMBIA FALLS – Tiffany Hummer 2-5, Carly Brown 3-4, Ashley Trueblood 0-3, Kathrin Jetty 1-4, Ciarra Holm 1-4, Amanda Morrison 0-3, Catie King 3-4, Lauren Fields 2-4, Courtney Murray 0-4.

WHITEFISH – Malia Morris 2-4, Andrea Lamaroux 1-3, Shannon Craft 1-3, Margo Myers 0-3, Micah McFeely 0-3, Madison Davis 0-2, Abby Taylor 0-2, Halle Reading 0-3, Georgia Donaldson 1-3.

2B - King 2, Fields. 3B - Morris. RBIs - King 2, Jetty, Holm, Brown, Trueblood, Murray, Fields, Craft