MISSOULA — Flathead gave Missoula Big Sky all it could handle before falling 8-6 and then was beaten by Missoula Sentinel 17-6 in Western AA softball play on Tuesday.

Sentinel came into the day with a 5-0 overall mark on the season.

“We were behind the whole time, but we battled,” first-year Flathead coach Tasia Gates said.

“We hit well, we were focused on the field and made some great plays.”

Rebecca Knutson and Kylee Beccari shared circle duties for Flathead.

“Both pitched really well,” Gates said.

Flathead hung with Sentinel until the Spartans put the game away with a big sixth inning, scoring 10 runs.

“We hit pretty well in that game also,” Gates said.

“Several hits by quite a few girls.”

Kylee Meredith hit a three-run shot to left center in the third inning. It was her first home run of the season.

“A good way for us to start,” Gates said.

“The sad part for us was in the sixth inning. They scored about 10 runs. The first part was neck-and-neck.”

Flathead (0-5 overall, 0-2 league) hosts Helena High, noon, and Helena Capital, 2 p.m., on Saturday at the Conrad Complex.

Flathead    003    003    0    —    6    5    2

Big Sky    420    011    0    —    8    6    2

    Rebecca Knutson (1.1), Kylee Beccari (4.2) and . Kaylee Rosenbaum and catcher. W — Rosenbaum. L — Beccan.

    FLATHEAD — Knutson 1-4, Abbie O’Brien 0-3, Kaitlin Torgerson 0-3, Kylee Meredith 2-2, Grace Cady 0-3, Mikaila Jorgenson 0-3, Kaycee Smith 1-3, Beccari 1-3, Bailey Nunn 0-4.

    BIG SKY — Jael Rolle 1-3, Natalie Schwab 1-3, Jaime Schafer 0-1, Kiley Snow 1-4, Macey Newbarry 1-2, Kendall Rauk 1-2, Kendall Mooney 2-4, Quincy Preston 0-4, Morgan Johnson 0-2.

2B — Beccari, Mooney 3B — Mooney HR — Newberry RBI - Knutson, O’Brien, Meredith, Jorgenson, Smith, Rolle, Snow, Newberry, Mooney (2)

Flathead    103    101    X    —    6    12    2

Sentinel    013    12(10)    X    —    17    17    3

Brinkman and Holmes. Knudson and Smith.

FLATHEAD — Abby O’Brien 1-2, Bailey Nunn 1-3, Becca Knudson 1-4, Kylie Meredith 2-4, Kacey Smith 2-4, Grace Cady 1-4, Makela Jorgerson 1-4, Kaitlyn Torgerson 2-4, Kylie Beccari 1-3.

SENTINEL — Serina Breum 0-4, Brittany Delridge 2-5, Taylor Holmes 2-3, Brooklyn Weisgram 3-5, Taylor Brinkman 2-4, Kealey Gillis 2-4, Halle Nursde 2-4, Emily Earl 1-3, Kayla Dailey 3-4.

2B — Holmes, Daily, Gillis. HR — Meredith, Weisgram. RBIs — Knudson, Beccari, Meredith 2, Holmes, Earl, Nurse 2, Brinkman 2, Delridge 3, Daily 3, Weisgram 5.