Lady Logger softball off and running for 2015

In their first game of the season, the Libby Loggers softball team padded their two-run lead with a six-run outburst in the fifth inning to beat the Bonners Ferry Badgers 10-2 on Wednesday at Remp Field.

Madisen Monigold got the Loggers going in the first inning with a single and worked her way to third base before stealing home.

In the second inning, Libby added another run after Staci Regh hit a single to center field and stole a base to advance to second. A double from Auria Benefield allowed Regh to touch home plate to put the Loggers up 2-0 at the end of the second.

The top of the third inning brought the first of several bouts of graupel, a rain-sleet mix, to hit Remp field, which was balanced with rounds of sun.

“It was a little cold out, that affects the kids a little bit, but I think they were ready to play,” said Libby head coach Dean Thompson.

“What affected them more was not getting out and playing much over the last week or so,” Thompson said. Four key players from the softball team participated in the Close Up trip to Washington, D.C., at the end of March. Thompson said their absence did allow for some younger players to get some reps with the varsity squad.

Bonners Ferry earned their two runs in the third inning. The Badgers put together a few hits in the inning sandwiched between strikeouts by all-state pitcher Hannah England. England was one of the players who traveled for the Close Up trip, but pitched an effective game, striking out 12 batters in six innings.

“She worked hard in the offseason,” Thompson said. “Coming in it took a couple innings to settle in and after that she was fine.”  

The Loggers capitalized on a few Badger errors in the fifth to cross home plate six times in the inning. A pair of RBI singles by Devon Gallagher and Madisen Monigold, and a two-run single by Auria Benefield highlighted the action in the fifth. The Loggers were able to bat through their entire lineup in the fifth.

Benefield racked up three RBIs on two hits for the Loggers.

“When we settled into it we started to hit the ball really well,” said Thompson. “We’re pretty tough defensively. We played well the whole game on the defensive end. Bonners Ferry has improved a lot over the last couple of years, they came out and played real well.”

England only allowed one earned run, three hits and no walks.

Kadi Bateman took the loss, allowing 10 runs, walked none and struck out three.

The Loggers didn’t relinquish the lead after scoring two runs in the fourth inning when they scored on an error and an RBI single by Monigold.

Libby:    1 1 0 2 6 0 – 10 13 1

Bonners: 0 0 2 0 0 0 0  2   3 8

LIBBY- Madisen Monigold 2-4, Mahalah Wedel 1-3, Abbey Ennenga 1-4, Devon Gallagher 2-4, Rachel Rebo 1-4, Dayln Germany 0-4, Staci Regh 2-4, Auria Benefield 2-3, Hannah England 2-3

BONNERS- Kassy Skeen 2-3, Kadi Bateman 0-2, Baggy Blackmore 0-3, Nicole Donn 0-3, Chantelle Coon 0-2, Avery Lane, 1-3, Jadyn Bennett 0-3, Jorryn Bennett 0-3, Mariah Rae 0-1, Trinity Golder 0-1

2B- Regh; Skeen; RBI- Gallagher, Monigold (2), Benefield (3), Germany; Blackmore