If you look purely at the score, you would think the Sanders County rivalry softball game between Plains and Thompson Falls was a rout.

T Falls won the game, 13-3, making it a two-game regular season sweep for the Lady Hawks.

Take a closer look at the stats, and it doesn’t change the W in the win column for T Falls, but it may provide some interesting fuel for future meetings.

T Falls jumped on the Trotters for five runs in the bottom of the first after Lady Hawks pitcher Olivia Fitchett held Plains scoreless in the open half of the first inning., striking out two of the first three batters she faced.

Plains was also blanked in the second inning, while T Falls was also held scoreless, creating a 5-0 Lady Hawks’ advantage heading into the third inning of play.

T Falls scored its first five runs of the game without a hit, testimony to head coach Jerad Koskela’s pre-season plan to develop the “small” game, runs without massive hits based on aggressive base running.

The Hawks were also aided by five Plains errors during the game, while T Falls did not have an error.

But, the Trotters, who have been hitting the ball hard lately, outhit T Falls 8-2 for the game.

Plains scored a single run in the top of the third, cutting the Lady Hawks’ lead to 5-1.

Neither team scored in the fourth inning.

The Trotters showed they were still in the game in the top of the fifth when they scored a pair of runs on two hits, closing the gap to 5-3.

However, T Falls came back with three runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth on two hits to push their lead to 10-3at the end of five.

The Lady Hawks held Plains scoreless in the top of the sixth, then pushed three more runs across the plate in the bottom of the sixth to end the game with a 13-3 conference win.

Plains fell to 0-13 on the year with the loss, while Thompson Falls improved to 13-3, including seven in a row.

Eighth grader Tia Bellinger led the Trotters with a double and two RBIs, while teammate Taylor Saner homered in the third inning for Plains.

Olivia Harnett, the team’s batting average leader most of the season, had an RBI and one hit in three at bats for Thompson Falls, while sophomore Gabi Hannum had two RBIs and scored two runs for the Lady Hawks. Fitchett also scored two runs and struck out nine Plains batters in going the distance on the mound for the Lady Hawks. Fitchett gave up three earned runs in her six inning of work.

Plains has one scheduled regular season game remaining this year, a game this Thursday in Eureka, while Falls played its final regular season games this past Monday (May 6) at Florence, then one last regular season road game, against Mission this Wednesday in St. Ignatius.

T Falls also is entered into a tournament this Friday and Saturday in Cut Bank Play-in games for the district tournament are Monday and/or Tuesday, May 13-14, with Divisional play set for May 16-18, with Divisional play scheduled to get underway May 16-18 in Frenchtown.

    Plains freshman Taryn Meredith rounds third and heads for home during the Trotters' game versus T Falls this past Thursday at Pirk's Place field in Thompson Falls. (Photo by Tracy Scott)
  

    Plains junior Sarah Koskela slides safely into home while Plains pitcher Aubrey Butcher awaits a relay throw to the plate during their game this past Thursday in Thompson Falls. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)