Kats split at Polson tourney to open the season

The Wildkat softball team began their 2026 season campaign by going 1-1 this past weekend at the Polson Quad Invite. The Kats had an 18-5 victory over the Corvallis, but fell to Hamilton 13-0.

Breanna Bear would get the Blue Devils on the board in the first inning when she drove in two runs with a fielder’s choice.  Isabelle Cadulio then added another run for Corvallis with an RBI single.  After a scoreless first inning for the Kats, their offense exploded in the second, sparked by Kate Lewellen’s two run rbi single to left field.   Columbia Falls maintained their momentum, adding five runs in the third inning and four more in the fourth to secure the win.  Chevelle Bedford led the scoring for the Kats with two hits and four RBIs, along with Katie Bulawsky, Lewellen, Kylie Gjesdal-Davis, and Kendal Moultray each adding two hits of their own in the contest.

“We had 12 hits against Corvallis, had some strikeouts, but that’s to be expected.  Only one strikeout was looking.  I was happy with our slappers Lewellen and Alexa Friske.  They will be tough outs for opposing defense.  They are hitting some of their spots already and that will just get better through the season,” coach Rick Lawrence said. “I think we ran the bases pretty well for the first game.  As a team, we are fast on the bases, and all our girls are smart baserunners.  And that will just get better and sharper through the season.”

Bulawsky claimed the win in the circle for the Kats, finishing with four strikeouts, two walks, three hits allowed, and three runs surrendered.  Ella Branstetter closed out the game with two innings, recording one strikeout and allowing two hits and two runs.  Brooklynn Cary took the loss for the Blue Devils.  She would give up twelve hits, eighteen runs of which eleven were earned, and strikeout eight.

The Kats moved on to encounter a challenging matchup in their next game against the Broncs.  Hamilton would take an early lead in the top of the second with four runs followed by eight more in the fourth and one in the fifth.  The contest would conclude at the bottom of the fifth with the Broncs claiming a 13-0 victory.  Carroll College commit Mariah Johnson dominated the mound by allowing just two hits and no runs through five innings and eleven strikeouts for the Broncs.  Lewellen had the Kats two hits. 

“In Hamilton we struggled at the plate, but we went down swinging.  We still only had one strikeout looking.  We will absolutely get our timing down at the plate and be more productive hitting the ball.  Their pitcher had a little velocity which can be tough to hit the first day of the season,” said Lawrence.

Branstetter took the loss for the Kats, pitching three innings and surrendering four earned runs on five hits with one strikeout.  Bulawsky came in to relieve in the fourth, pitching two innings and allowing nine runs, eight of which were earned, on five hits, while recording three strikeouts. 

“We learned a lot from this weekend and defensively, we played pretty well for the first games. I think it’s good for the team to see some adversity, offensively and defensively, this early in the season. We will be better for it. I truly have no doubt when we see Hamilton later in the season, when it counts, it will be a different outcome.  Remember last season they beat us 12-2 early, and we won 16-2 when we played at state. I have confidence in these young ladies.  Heads up and learn from it,” added Lawrence.

The Kats will be off this upcoming week.  Their schedule will pick up with three games the following week where they will face Whitefish on April 7 in an away matchup.  

They will also have their first home games of the season beginning on April 9 when Ronan comes to town followed by the Libby Loggers on April 11.