Softball Lady Loggers see tough competition early
Libby junior Jayden Winslow waits for a throw at second from sophomore Shayla Gallagher that came only moments late, with Broncs senior Morgan Snow called safe in the sixth inning of the Logger’s 3-2 loss to Frenchtown March 30. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby junior Jayden Winslow follows close on the heels of freshman Bethany Thomas rounding second base after Thomas hesitated on a hit by Winslow during the fourth inning of the Lady Loggers’ 3-2 loss to Frenchtown, March 30. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
After a 3-2 loss to Frenchtown at home March 30, the Libby High School softball team is 1-2 early in the season, but just getting warmed up according to Head Coach Dean Thompson.
The Lady Loggers opened the season with a 16-4 win against Ronan March 24, but suffered an 8-5 loss to Polson March 29 before their much closer game against the Broncs.
“We played two of the toughest teams in the state,” Thompson said. “Polson, as far as our conference goes, they’re at the top, and Frenchtown is really one of the tops in their conference.”
Thompson said he’s happy to have the test of harder teams early in the season.
“When you play good teams like that earlier in the year, it makes us better,” he said. “We know that we have to work.”
With six returning players from last year, only pitcher Khalyn Hageness and catcher Sammee Bradeen are returning to positions they are familiar with, Thompson said.
Yet, though the Logger fielding wasn’t perfect, they made it through with only two errors.
“We’re a good team, but we want to be a great team at the end of the year,” Thompson said.
March 30 at Libby
Frenchtown 3, Libby 2
F 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 - R: 3 H: 6 E: 0
L 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 - R: 2 H: 4 E: 2
H-AB
F: Meg Delaney 3-3, Kylie Habeck 0-3, Cassidy Moen 0-1, Brynn Leishman 1-3, Mikaila Neilson 0-4, Morgan Snow 1-2, Callie Bagnell 0-3, Kylie Willett 0-2, Taylor Garren 0-1, Dana Jacobs 0-3, Kami Bidlake 1-2
Libby: Linsey Walker 0-3, Khalyn Hageness 0-2, Jayden Winslow 2-3, Sammee Bradeen 1-3, Haylee Cannon 1-3, Shayla Gallagher 0-3, Bridgett Haskins 0-3, Makenzie Proffitt 0-2, Samantha Miller 0-2, Kira Ward 0-1
Batting: 2B - Delaney, Snow, Cannon, Winslow; RBI - Leishman 2, Cannon 2
Pitching: Leishman 6, .707 S%, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 3SO, 1BB, Delaney 1, .500 S%, 1SO, 1BB; Hageness 7, .549 S%, 6H, 3R, 1ER, 5SO, 3BB
March 29 at Polson
Polson 8, Libby 5
P 0 1 5 2 0 0 X - R: 8 H: 7 E: 0
L 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 - R: 5 H: 7 E: 6
H-AB
P: Linsey Walker 0-3, Khalyn Hageness 1-4, Jayden Winslow 1-3, Emily Carvey 0-2, Sammee Bradeen 1-3, Haylee Cannon 2-3, Shayla Gallagher 1-1, Bridgett Haskins 1-3, Kira Ward 0-2
L: Kaelyn Smith 2-3, Laurel Bitterman 0-4, Quinn Mottichka 1-4, Kaylanna DesJarlais 2-3, Josie Caye 1-4, Marina Mayorga 0-3, Grace Quinones 0-2, Paige Noyes 0-3, Olivia Perez 1-2
Batting: 2B - Hageness; RBI Quinones, Smith 3, Perez 2, Mayorga, Bradeen, Cannon, Ward, Gallagher
Pitching: Vanessa Kent 7, .562 S%, 7H, 5R, 5ER, 2SO, 5BB; Hageness 6, .592 S%, 7H, 8R, 1ER, 4SO, 4BB
March 24 at Ronan
Libby 16, Ronan 4
L 2 3 2 5 4 - R: 16 H: 11 E: 1
R 1 0 2 1 0 - R: 4 H: 4 E: 3
H-AB
L: Linsey Walker 2-2, Khalyn Hageness 1-3, Emily Carvey 3-4, Sammee Bradeen 1-4, Haylee Cannon 1-4, Shayla Gallagher 2-4, Bridgett Haskins 1-4, Makenzie Proffitt 0-3, Samantha Miller 0-3
R:G Wirz 1-1, E Corley 0-2, M Mock 2-2, S Courville 0-1, M Jackson 0-2, J Hakes 0-1, M Clairont 0-3, M Miller 0-2, L Mahkuk 1-2
Batting: 2B - Cannon, Hageness, Walker, Gallagher; RBI - Bradeen 3, Hageness 3, Carvey 6, Gallagher 2, Haskins 2; G Wirz, M Mock 3
Pitching: Hageness 5, .526 S%, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 4SO, 7BB; Wirz 4, .694 S%, 10H, 14R, 7ER, 10SO, 3BB, 3HR, Jackson 1, .800 S%, 1H, 2R, 0ER, 3SO, 0BB