Lady Loggers win softball divisional, head for state

When deciding to take a journey, most would take the simplest path to their destination. Not the Libby Lady Loggers softball team. Sure they began that way, sweeping through two wins on Friday, first a 15-5 win over Loyola Sacred Heart and then a 3-2 win over Mission Valley Christian Academy. Saturday, however took a twist early with a loss to Florence-Carlton 6-5, putting Libby on a long path if they wanted a championship. They did. With another win over Loyola, the Lady Loggers had to take two in a row from Florence to win the title. They dominated, winning game one 11-3, and topping the Falcons again 12-10 to win divisionals and return to the state championship tournament after missing out last year.

Games 1 and 2 vs Loyola and Mission-Arlee-Charlo

Playing host of the Western B/C softball divisional tournament, the Libby Lady Loggers did what was expected. Libby defeated Loyola Sacred Heart 15-5, and then defeated Mission-Arlee-Charlo in a close game 3-2 Friday in Libby.

If Libby wasn’t quite ready to play to start the morning game against Loyola, the Rams bats quickly caught their attention. A bunt hit to begin the game started Loyola. A one out double scored that run and the next batter launched a ball over the fence for a 2-run home run, and a 3-0 Loyola lead.

The Lady Loggers quickly responded in their half of the first inning. Returning All-State shortstop Madisen Monigold scored on a wild pitch after getting on base with a laser shot to right field. A two out walk to Abbey Ennenga turned into a run with a single off the bat of Haylee Cannon who later scored when Alyssa Marshall was hit with a pitch, tying the game at 3.

Libby pitcher Khalyn Hageness found her groove, holding the Rams down, despite giving up a double to start the top of the second inning. After the runner moved up to third base on a base hit, Hageness induced a tapper back to her, and caught the runner at third base leaning too far off the bag. Played perfectly, Hageness began moving at the runner with the ball raised, running her back to third before she quickly tossed the ball to Ennenga for the tag out at the bag, effectively killing the Rams rally.

Libby scored four more runs in the bottom half of the second inning. The big shot came off the bat of Ennenga, when she launched a shot that hit near the top of lower roof of the concession stand past the left field fence for a two run home run. One out later, Sammee Bradeen launched another shot over the left-center field fence helping the Lady Loggers to a 7-3 lead.

The Rams pushed two more runs across in the third inning to tighten the game, but Libby scored another four runs in their half to pull back ahead 11-5. After holding the Rams scoreless in the fourth inning the Lady Loggers tagged on four more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Hageness shut the door in the fifth to preserve the 10 run mercy rule win, 15-5.

Against Mission-Arlee-Charlo, Hageness dominated in the circle. She went seven innings giving up two runs, while striking out 13 batters.

Game 3 vs. Florence-Carlton

The Lady Loggers returned to the field the next day, with an 11 a.m. start against fellow undefeated Florence-Carlton. The highly anticipated match-up didn’t disappoint. Libby took an early lead, only to watch Florence-Carlton catch up and take their own lead before Libby grabbed it back. Leading 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, and acting as the visitors in this match-up, the Lady Loggers watched the Falcons score two in their half of the inning, giving Libby the loss 6-5.

It also ensured a game off for the Falcons, while the Lady Loggers were going to have to win three straight games in order to win the Divisional Title, and would have to go through Florence-Carlton to do it.

This game started well for Libby with Jayden Winslow going deep in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. They added to that in the third inning when Abbey Ennenga came up with runners on 1st and 3rd and two out. Ennenga fouled off four straight pitches before using her reach to poke a hit just over the outstretched glove of the Falcon’s shortstop into center field to score Madisen Monigold and give the Lady Loggers a 2-0 lead.

The Florence bats scratched out four runs to take the lead over the next couple innings, but it could have been worse if not for Libby’s defense.

The defensive play of the game came in the bottom of the third and Libby up 2-1. The Falcons bunted with a runner at third and one out, which Ennenga fielded and threw to first for the out, at least that’s what she appeared to do. In actuality, she faked the throw and everybody at the ballpark, including the Florence-Carlton coach and his base runner.

Ennenga quickly whirled with the ball and gave chase to the Falcon player who had frozen in her tracks, tagging her out before she could scamper back into third base.

With Florence-Carlton ahead 4-2, the Lady Loggers scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 5-4 lead starting with Bradeen’s single and ending with Monigold’s run.

Libby loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the 7th inning, but a force out at home and a couple of web gems from the Falcon’s middle infielders kept the score in tact.

Florence-Carlton, feeling good about their defensive play, quickly ended the game in the bottom of the last inning. After an error allowed a baserunner, the Falcons brought her in with a triple to tie the game, and after loading the bases, a base hit brought in the winning run.

Game 4 vs Loyola

Against a familiar opponent, the Lady Loggers came right back after their loss and it appeared their bats began to warm up with the weather. The Loggers made a pitching change, bringing in Linsdsey Walker into the circle and resting Hageness for what they hoped would be a rematch with Florence.

The plan worked beautifully. Walker pitched very well, keeping the ball around the knees and inducing a lot of ground outs. She only gave up two runs and helped out at the plate outscoring the Loyola team by crossing the plate three times herself.

The Lady Loggers scored four runs each of the first four innings in building a lead that Loyola couldn’t match. Libby won the shortened contest 12-2.

Game 5 Rematch with Florence-Carlton

Libby wasted little time letting Florence-Carlton know that they weren’t about to roll over and hand the trophy over. After suffering a heartbreaking loss the first time to the Falcons, Libby jumped all over the Florence pitcher in the very first inning for a 7-0 lead, and then cruising to an 11-3 win setting up a winner take all game.

The seniors on the Lady Loggers team set the tone early. Madisen Monigold took the first offering and deposited it at the fence for a leadoff double. Khalyn Hageness, back in the circle for Libby, laid down a perfect bunt, and then Jayden Winslow walked, bringing up Abbey Ennenga with the bases loaded. Ennenga hit a pitch that the ballpark couldn’t contain. The ball landed on the other side of the center field fence for a grand slam and a 4-0 Libby lead.

The Lady Loggers weren’t finished, tacking on three more runs before the Falcons could get off the field, building a 7-0 lead.

Florence-Carlton chipped away, making it 7-3 by the end of their half of the third inning. It could have been worse, but the Falcons decided to test the arm of Libby catcher Sammee Bradeen, and tried stealing second base. They quickly learned why other teams didn’t do that. Bradeen cut her down with a perfect throw to the bag for the tag out.

Libby put the game away in the fourth inning. After scoring a run, the Falcons made a pitching change. The second batter to face her, Emilly Carvey took the pitch over the fence for an 11-3 lead,

The Lady Loggers showed some defensive prowess. With a runner on third base and nobody out, the Falcons laid down a bunt. After watching Ennenga fake out the whole ballpark with a fake throw in a similar situation earlier in the day, the runner at third was a bit hesitant and it cost her. Hageness actually picked up the bunt, and fired it to first for the out. Getting a late start at third by the runner allowed Libby to throw the ball back home when the runner attempted to score, cutting her down as well for the double play. The next batter harmlessly hit it back to Hageness who fired to first for the game ending out.

Game Six vs Florence-Carlton

Playing their third game against each other in the last seven hours, these two teams knew each other well. The only surprise was that Libby pounded out 17 hits in the game, but the Falcons made it close. In the end Libby scored enough to outdistance Florence-Carlton 12-10 and win the Divisional Title in the process.

Taking the long way to the championship, Libby played four games over a nine hour day. The weather stayed beautiful with just a small spot of rain that wasn’t hard enough to even send the spectators out of their seats. The ballpark appeared to be in the center of a teepee with clouds rolling around all day, but looking straight up from the ball field was nothing but blue skies 90 percent of the day, even as thunder and lightning threatened from long distances away.

“Really we just came back and started hitting,” said Libby coach Dean Thompson. “Our seniors, Madisen Monigold and Abbey Ennenga have led the way all year, and they did it again today, but really Khalyn’s pitching and contributions up and down the lineup won today.”

The picturesque setting began with Libby’s sparkplug, Madisen Monigold lacing a double down the left field line. After Khalyn Hageness hit a slow rolling single, Jayden Winslow knocked in the first run of the Championship game. Abbey Ennenga threatened to hit another first inning home run but it was caught by the centerfielder, playing exceptionally deep, at the fence with her glove above the fence line. Libby ended their inning up 1-0.

Florence-Carlton put a runner on third base with one out in their half of the inning, but she was eventually tagged out in a nice run-down played well by Libby at third base. However the Falcons tied the game in the second inning with a home run to make it 1-1 after two inning of play.

Libby extended their lead in the third inning when-who else-but Monigold smashed another double to center field. An error by the Falcons allowed one run to score, while another came around on a base hit by Haylee Cannon.

After holding the Falcons scoreless in the third inning, the Libby bats came alive and the Lady Loggers scored eight runs while sending 13 batters to the plate. Emilly Carvey began the onslaught with a rocket the went through the shortstops legs on one hop. A single by Alyssa Marshall, and an RBI single by Lindsey Walker scored the first run.

That brought up Monigold who was wearing out Falcon pitching. She laced a triple scoring Walker. A double from Hageness scored another run, before a walk to Jayden Winslow put two runners on base with Ennenga coming up.

After just missing a three run home run earlier in the game, Ennenga put little doubt to this one. She cracked a high-flyer over the centerfield fence that landed on the windshield of a daring driver who parked right at the fence, spider-webbing the windshield in the process. Not to mention bringing in three more runs for the Lady Loggers and an 9-1 lead. Marshall and Walker teamed up later in the inning to both hit their second singles of the inning providing for an 11-1 margin by the end of the inning.

The game looked all but over, but the Falcons weren’t done fighting. On six hits, through a Libby pitching change, and a couple of Lady Logger errors, the Falcons brought the game from an eight run to a two run deficit, and when Libby came to bat in the top of the sixth inning with a much tight 11-9 lead.

Both teams threatened but didn’t score in the sixth inning. A pair of singles by Monigold and Winslow produced the 12th run for Libby in the top of the 7th inning, and Florence-Carlton came up with their last at bats down 12-9. A single, an error, two outs and a walk later saw the game at 12-10 with a Falcons baserunner at first.

Coach Thompson brought Hageness back in to close out the game. Shaking off the rest, Hageness walked the first batter, bringing the winning run to the plate with two out and two on. She soon fired strike three past a swinging batter to prompt the celebration of a Divisional Title in Libby.

“We really wanted to get going in the second half of the season with players missing some key games due to school obligation,” said coach Thompson. “Once we had our whole team together for a good period of time, they started coming together and today is the result of that.”

News and Notes:

The Lady Loggers play 4 p.m. Thursday in Frenchtown to begin their conquest of a state title against Great Falls Central. The winner will play 10 a.m. Friday, and the loser at noon Friday.

Libby batted .425 as a team in the last game against Florence, with six batters having multi-hit games. Monigold had four hits, Hageness three, with Marshall, Ennenga, Walker and Winslow each getting two hits.

Monigold was 7-9 in the last two games and hit 13-23 overall in the Divisionals for a .565 average while scoring 12 runs. Ennenga hit .438 in the Divisional saving her best for Saturday’s championship games where she was 4-9 with two home runs and seven RBIs.

Libby also had great contributions from the bottom three in their order over the Divisional tournament. Emilly Carvey, Alyssa Marshall and Lindsey walker combined to bat .340, score eight runs and knock in six. They often set the table for Monigold, Hageness, Winslow and Ennenga to do some real damage.

Libby catcher, Sammee Bradeen picked off one runner who strayed too far off of first and threw out the only potential base stealer who tried to swipe second base while catching every inning for the Lady Loggers.

The Lady Loggers reached 20 wins on the season with their five victories Friday and Saturday and go into the state tournament a No. 1 seed, with a 20-6 record.