Abbie O’Brien went 6 for 7 in the final two home games of her high school career and Flathead erupted for 24 runs in four innings in game two, but the Bravettes were forced to settle for a Friday night split of a doubleheader with Missoula Hellgate at Boyle Field at the Conrad Complex.

The lone conference game of the pair was the first one, which Hellgate won 12-6. Flathead responded to romp 24-1 in game two, a contest that was shortened by the 10-run rule.

“That second game was a good comeback after the first game,” Flathead coach Tasia Gates said. “We finally got our confidence back at the plate in that second game so that was really good to see.”

Flathead (5-12, 2-9 Western AA) scored three times in the first inning then added 10 in the second to put the nightcap on ice early. The Bravettes sent 43 batters to the plate in only four offensive innings, collecting 20 hits and drawing 10 walks in the rout.

Several players put up gaudy offensive numbers in the win, led by Becca Knutson, who went 3 for 3 with six RBIs. Knutson cracked a two-run double and a two-run single in the second inning alone. She added another two-run double in the third.

Jayden Russell went 4 for 4 from the leadoff spot and scored five runs. O’Brien was 3 for 4 with three RBIs and three runs scored, and Kylee Meredith had three hits and three RBIs. Kaileigh Denna had the oddball line of the day, going 0 for 0 officially with four walks, a hit by pitch and two runs scored.

As explosive as the offense was in game two, Flathead was also encouraged by a strong pitching performance from unproven freshman Maitlynn Betts. The right-hander scattered six hits and allowed only a two-out run in the fifth inning with the game already well out of reach.

“Maitlynn Betts, she did a great job,” Gates said. “I’m really excited with what I saw of her.”

Juniors Kylee Beccari and Knutson both struggled in the circle in game one, and Gates left the door open to the possibility of Betts assuming a greater role down the stretch.

“(The pitching staff) is never set, it’s never certain,” she said. “We talk about it every day. We’ll go with how the pitchers are feeling, how the pitching coach is feeling, and just start from there.”

As fun as the finale was for the home team, the opener was a struggle and the loss pushed Flathead just behind the Knights (2-14, 2-8) in the Western AA conference standings.

The Bravettes’ offense failed to get going early and Hellgate took advantage, opening up a 3-0 lead midway through the fourth inning. Flathead was able to chip back, eventually getting to within 4-3, but the Knights scored seven times in the sixth after Knutson came on out of the bullpen. Adessa Gagner’s three-run home run was the big blow in the inning for Hellgate.

O’Brien was 3 for 3 in the opener, doubling and scoring twice. Meredith went 2 for 4 with a double and was the only other Bravette with more than one hit.

O’Brien and classmate Kaitlin Torgerson, Flathead’s lone seniors, were honored before the first game. Gates praised the commitment of two players who have been mainstays for the rebuilding program.

“Seniors come and seniors go but those two, they really stepped up as leaders this year and they know the game so well,” she said.

“They’re going to be a big loss next year. I’m excited to see where they go and what they do but I’m sad to see them go.”

Flathead’s next action will come Tuesday in Polson when they challenge the Pirates at 6 p.m.

Hellgate 001 217 1 — 12 13 2

Flathead 000 121 2 — 6 9 4

Callie McKillop and Sierrah Hardy (H). Kylee Beccari, Becca Knutson (6) and Jayden Russell (F). W — McKillop. L — Beccari.

HELLGATE — Hardy 1-5, McKillop 1-4, Adessa Gagner 1-4, Elise Marquardt 2-4, Maiti Anderson 2-4, Natasha Crepeau 0-2, Kylie Lunday 1-2, Korey Waletzko 2-3, Dusty Calouri 2-4, Katie Packard 1-4.

FLATHEAD — Russell 1-3, Abbie O’Brien 3-3, Knutson 1-4, Kylee Meredith 2-4, Kaitlin Torgerson 1-4, Kaileigh Denna 0-2, Bailey Nunn 0-2, Riley Chouinard 0-2, Beccari 1-2, Caitlin Morrison 0-1.

2B — Anderson, Waletzko (H); O’Brien, Meredith (F). 3B — Calouri (H). HR — Gagner (H). RBIs — Gagner 3, Marquardt 2, Waletzko 2, Calouri 2, McKillop, Lunday, Packard (H); Meredith 2, O’Brien, Nunn, Beccari (F).

Hellgate 000 01 — 1 6 3

Flathead 3(10)5 6x — 24 20 0

Haleigh Irwin and Adessa Gagner (H). Maitlynn Betts and Jayden Russell (F). W — Betts. L — Irwin.

HELLGATE — Gagner 2-3, Natasha Crepeau 0-3, Sierrah Hardy 1-2, Maiti Anderson 0-2, Callie McKillop 1-2, Kylie Lunday 0-2, Korey Waletzko 1-2, Elise Marquardt 0-2, Katie Packard 1-2.

FLATHEAD — Russell 4-4, Abbie O’Brien 3-4, Becca Knutson 3-3, Kyann Devera 1-1, Kylee Meredith 3-5, Kaitlin Torgerson 1-3, Kaileigh Denna 0-0, Bailey Nunn 1-3, Caitlin Morrison 0-2, Riley Chouinard 3-3, Betts 1-2.

2B — Gagner 2 (H); Knutson 2, Russell, O’Brien, Meredith (F). 3B — Waletzko (H). RBIs — Packard (H); Knutson 6, O’Brien 3, Meredith 3, Russell 2, Devera 2, Betts 2, Torgerson, Nunn, Chouinard.