Bravettes fall to homer-happy Eagles

MISSOULA — The Eagles were flying high and hitting hard.

Hayden Weaver hit a pair of home runs and Missoula Big Sky used five long balls to rally past Flathead in a Western AA softball play-in game Thursday. 

Weaver opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a lead-off shot to center field, making it 1-0 Eagles (14-5). 

The Bravettes answered back in the third as June Stickney scored Olivia Nyman on a single to right tying the game at one. 

In the fifth, Macey McIlhargey plated two on a single to put Flathead up 3-1, and a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly put made it 5-1 in the sixth. The Bravettes were on their way to forcing a winner-advances second game. 

Then, Big Sky took the momentum in the bottom of the sixth as Weaver hit her second solo big fly of the game. Sara Bjornson, Hailey Nicoson and Madison Norcross made it four-straight long balls as the Eagles tied the game at five. 

Briella Wilson broke the tie later in the sixth with a two-run single to right, putting Big Sky ahead 7-5. 

Kinsey Lake singled in the seventh, but the Bravettes couldn’t find any more offense. 

Stickney went the distance in the circle for Flathead, allowing eight hits and striking out nine batters. 

Bjornson tossed 5 1-3 innings for Big Sky, allowing five runs on five hits. She fanned nine. 

Flathead ends the season 7-14 overall, while Big Sky earns a spot in the State tournament which begins May 28 in Missoula. 

Flathead and Glacier’s baseball teams take to the field Friday with the Braves in Butte needing to beat the Bulldogs twice to make the State AA tournament, which is also in Butte. 

Glacier battles Missoula Hellgate at Griffin Field starting at 4 p.m.; the Wolfpack need to beat the Knights once to advance. 

Flathead    001    022    0    -    5    6    2 

Big Sky    100    006    x    -    7    8    2 

June Stickney and Gwyn Hennell. Sara Bjornson, Kaya Lopez (6), Peyton Walters (7) and Hailey Nicoson. 

FLATHEAD — Tegan Strauss 0-4, Sophia Torgison 1-3, Olivia Nyman 0-0, Macey McIlhargey 1-2, June Stickney 2-4, Makenna Korf 0-3, Lily Anderson 0-1, Reese Rosenberg 0-4, Kinsey Lake 1-3, Danica Hennell 1-4. 

MISSOULA BIG SKY — Hayden Weaver 2-3, Sara Bjornson 1-3, Kaya Lopez 0-1, Hailey Nicoson 1-3, Madison Norcross 1-3, Logan Latrielle 0-3, Peyton Walters 1-3, Emery Maxwell 0-0, Aubrey Bykari 1-2, Briella Wilson 1-3, Addie Martin 0-1. 

2B — Bykari. HR — Weaver 2, Bjornson, Nicoson, Norcross. RBI — McIlhargey 3, Nyman, Lake. Weaver 2, Wilson 2, Bjornson, Nicoson, Norcross.