Libby softball keeps rolling after big rally to top Polson

Hadleigh Wood singled and eventually stole home in the eighth inning for Libby Tuesday, completing the Loggers’ comeback from a 13-3 deficit for a 14-13 win over Polson in a wild Northwest A softball game.

According to reporting in the Daily Inter Lake, Wood went 3-for-3 and scored four times for the Loggers (9-4), who got a workmanlike performance from pitcher Carmen Kohler. 

Kohler was seemingly knocked from the game after giving up eight runs in three innings. But Polson (7-8) got to reliever Maddie Willis for five runs in the fourth inning, sandwiching four two-hit RBI singles around a walk. 

Maddie Turner’s single drove in the Lady Pirates’ 13th run. 

Kohler came back in and worked four scoreless innings, allowing four singles and three walks. The Loggers worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth and Wood took over. 

She singled, stole second, moved to third on Tessa Purdy’s bunt single and then stole home for the win. 

Purdy finished 4-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and two RBIs for Libby. Leah Rusdal drove in three runs, two with a second-inning homer that brought Libby to 4-3. Rossi Baney hand Weslee MacDonald each had three hits and two RBIs; Baney hit a triple. 

Last week, the Loggers put together a strong week, winning four of five games.

The Loggers opened with a 9-4 win over Ronan on April 28, then went 3-1 over the weekend with wins over Dillon, Corvallis and Stevensville at the Frenchtown Tournament. Libby’s lone loss came in a 9-5 game against Hamilton.

Against Ronan, Libby scored eight runs in the fourth inning to take control of a 9-4 victory. The Loggers finished with 11 hits, led by Maddie Willis, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored. Tessa Purdy went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, while Dakota Allen added two hits and an RBI. Leah Rusdal, Rossi Baney and Jayva Boehmler also drove in runs.

Carmen Kohler earned the win in the circle, throwing seven innings and allowing six hits and four runs, none earned, while striking out eight.

Libby followed with a 10-6 win over Dillon on May 1. The Loggers scored four runs in the second inning and five more in the third to build their lead. Libby had 14 hits in the win. Tessa Purdy went 3-for-4, while Maddie Willis had two home runs. Bentley Houston was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs, and Hadleigh Wood added two hits and an RBI. Weslee MacDonald also had two hits a double.

Libby then fell 9-5 to Hamilton despite eight hits. Cyleigh Parker led the offense, going 3-for-3 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Macy Foss added a triple and an RBI.

The Loggers bounced back Saturday with a 6-1 win over Corvallis. Libby built a 5-1 lead by the third inning and added one run in the fifth.

Willis led the way at the plate and in the circle. She went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored, then pitched a complete game, allowing seven hits and one earned run while striking out five. Weslee MacDonald went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBIs. Rossi Baney added another home run to Libby's total, while Bentley Houston doubled.

Libby closed the week with an 8-6 win over Stevensville. The Loggers scored two runs in the first, two in the second and four in the fourth to hold off the Yellow Jackets.

Settera McGreevy-White went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a double, while Dakota Allen drove in two runs. Linzie Willis and Teighler Parker each added RBIs, and Hadleigh Wood and Jayva Boehmler also drove in runs.

MacDonald earned the win in the circle, while Willis helped finish the game in relief.

Saturday, they are set to host Browning in a doubleheader. The first game begins at 1 p.m.