Libby baseball no-hits Browning; falls to Polson

After being held to one hit in a shutout loss a day earlier, the Libby Loggers responded in emphatic fashion Friday.

Libby bounced back from a 10-0 loss to Columbia Falls on Thursday, April 16, by rolling past Browning 21-0 on Friday, April 17, behind a combined no-hitter and a big day at the plate.

Against Columbia Falls, the Loggers were limited to one hit over five innings. Hunter Rooney accounted for Libby’s lone hit with a double, while the Wildcats broke the game open with an eight-run fourth inning. James Woody started on the mound for Libby and worked three innings, and Kale Riddle pitched the final two.

The Loggers turned things around quickly the next day.

Libby scored four runs in the first inning against Browning and never let up, adding one in the second, three in the third, four in the fourth and nine more in the fifth. The Loggers finished with 12 hits and took advantage of Browning’s 10 errors.

Bransen Holzer led the offensive outburst, going 4 for 4 with three runs scored and five RBIs to go along with a double. Dalton Cannon also had a huge game, finishing 3 for 4 with two runs scored and four RBIs, including a home run and a double.

Hunter Rooney added two hits, a double and two RBIs, while Kale Hall scored three runs and drove in one. Cody Katzer chipped in a hit and RBI.

Libby also put pressure on Browning with its speed. Holzer stole four bases, while Cannon, Rooney, Ian Thom and Riddle also recorded steals.

On the mound, the Loggers were dominant. Ian Thom threw three no-hit innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Cannon followed with 1 2/3 no-hit innings, striking out four and walking none, as the pair combined to keep Browning off the scoreboard and out of the hit column.

Polson 9, Libby 2

LIBBY — Liam Jackson doubled, tripled and took a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning to lead Polson over its Northwest A rival. 

Jackson hit an RBI double in the first inning to put his team up 1-0, and his two-run triple made it 8-0 in the fifth.  

In between, Brayson Dumont hit an RBI double and Noah Agliano drove in a fourth-inning run with a triple for the Pirates (4-4). Cole Wadsworth had three hits and drove in a run; Holden Emerson had two hits. Agliano scored twice.  

Jackson allowed one hit and three walks — two walks coming in the seventh inning. Hunter Luedtke came on and gave up a walk and a two-run single to Dalton Cannon, then got the final out. Jackson struck out nine Loggers. 

Bransen Holzer had the other hit for Libby (3-4). The Loggers are in the Frenchtown Tournament this weekend.