Northwest A Softball: Maidens rally to edge Lady Pirates in slugfest

RONAN — Ronan slipped past Polson 10-9 Thursday in a back-and-forth Northwest A softball game. 

The matchup was just the fourth meeting between the programs since 2004. 

Polson (7-9) scored three runs in the first inning without a hit, then pushed the lead to 6-2 in the second behind RBI singles from Abbigail Sanford and Jaliyah Pierre. 

Ronan (5-8) answered with four runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game. Autumn Lozeau and Keeley Jackson each drove in runs with singles, while Marie Cheff added a sacrifice fly. 

Logan McCrea gave Polson a 7-6 lead in the fourth with an RBI single. McCrea finished 4-for-4 with four singles and three runs scored. 

The Maidens responded again in the fifth. Lozeau and Sierra McGreevey each drove in runs as Ronan moved back ahead 9-7. 

Polson tied the game in the sixth after a Ronan error helped plate two runs, but the Maidens answered in the bottom half when the winning run scored on another error. 

Shelby Taylor, Jackson and McGreevey each collected two hits for Ronan. Lozeau and Jackson drove in two runs apiece. 

Esther Montoya earned the win in relief for Ronan, allowing one earned run over four innings. 

The win was Ronan’s first over Polson since 2010. 

Columbia Falls 18, Whitefish 3 

COLUMBIA FALLS — Columbia Falls wasted little time taking control Thursday, scoring nine runs in the first two innings on the way to a win over Whitefish in Northwest A girls softball. 

Onnikka Lawrence drove in four runs, while Kahlan Moultray finished with six RBIs on two hits as the Wildkats (11-5) kept pressure on throughout. Lawrence added a triple and double, and Kendal Gjesdal-Davis scored four runs and stole three bases. 

Columbia Falls finished with nine hits and 10 stolen bases. Ella Branstetter allowed two hits over 4 1-3 innings and struck out four. 

Whitefish (2-10) scored all three of its runs in the third inning. Avery Britz drove in two runs for the Bulldogs.