COLUMBIA FALLS — After falling behind in the first inning, Columbia Falls erupted for 12 runs across three innings, rolling to a 15-4 win in a clash between Northwest A foes on Tuesday evening. 

“I just had a good time out there and played ball,” Wildcats pitcher Jett Pitts said. “We’re like a family, baseball is a sport that is 90 percent mental and we knew that today.” 

Bigfork (4-1) set the tone early. Rye Rodriguez worked a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Max Schara’s RBI single. A dropped third strike allowed another run to cross, giving the Vikings a quick 2-0 edge. 

It didn’t last. 

Columbia Falls (4-2) responded immediately, loading the bases in the bottom half before Tristan Victor lined a two-run single to tie it. Jaxson Cadwell followed with an RBI hit, and just like that the Wildcats were in front 3-2. 

The Wildcats broke it open in the second, stringing together quality at-bats and taking advantage of mistakes to plate seven runs. Jory Hill and Nico Young each drove in runs to start the surge. Pitts doubled to bring two home, and Wyatt Dodson capped the inning with a two-run double that stretched the lead to 10-2. 

“I love baseball season, I am having a great time — we went out there and had fun,” Hill said. 

Bigfork answered briefly in the third, scoring twice with the help of an error. Grady Campbell provided the highlight, swiping home to cut the deficit to 10-4. 

But Columbia Falls didn’t let the momentum linger. 

Pitts led off the bottom half with a double and later scored on a wild pitch. Cadwell tripled and came home the same way, pushing the lead further out of reach. 

The Wildcats closed it out in the fourth. Pitts delivered a sacrifice fly, Victor added an RBI on an infield single, and Cadwell drove in his third run of the day to seal the 15-4 mercy rule finish.  

Victor and Cadwell led the way with three RBIs apiece, while Jett Pitts impacted the game all over — collecting two hits, driving in two runs and striking out eight over 2 2/3 innings to earn the win. Tayvin Beach handled the rest in relief. 

“Last year we had more seniors and leadership, but we have guys stepping up big in their roles — we’re excited,” Hill said. 

Both teams return to action on the road Thursday, as Columbia Falls travels to Libby and Bigfork heads to Browning. 

Bigfork        202    00    -    4    1    4 

C-Falls    372    3x    -    15    15    2 

Jett Pitts, Tayvin Beach (3), and Kyler Voermans. Max Schara, Hayden Mayer (2), and Wyatt Hickey. 

BIGFORK — Rye Rodriguez 0-1, Cavin Wiest 0-2, Max Schara 1-3, Hayden Mayer 0-2, Mason Lewis 0-2, Grady Campbell 0-2, Wyatt Hickey 0-2, Braxton Wheeler 0-1, Holland Jantzen 0-2, Ryder Hamilton 0-2.  

COLUMBIA FALLS — Jory Hill 1-3, Caden Fisher 2-4, Nico Young 1-3, Jett Pitts 2-2, Tristan Victor 3-4, Jaxson Cadwell 3-4, Wyatt Dodson 1-3, Kyler Voermans 0-3, Zeke Dunn 2-2. 

2B — Pitts 2, Dodson, Dunn. 3B — Cadwell. RBIs — Victor 3, Cadwell 3, Pitts 2, Dodson 2, Dunn, Hill, Young.