Softball Motichka powers Polson past Laurel, Glendive
BUTTE — Hitting her first home run of the year wasn’t enough for Quinn Motichka.
After lifting a two-run shot over the center field fence to cap Polson’s 10-0 win over Laurel, the Polson slugger followed with another two-run blast to center to lead the Pirates to an 8-4 win versus Glendive on Friday at the Laverne Combo Softball Tournament.
“(Motichka) is just making good, solid contact and actually getting the bat squared up behind the ball and driving it,” Polson coach Larry Smith said. “Both home runs were pretty much lined shots.”
Motichka totaled three hits on the day — the two home runs and a double. Kaelyn Smith and Laurel Bitterman topped Polson with five apiece in the two games.
Polson jumped out to quick leads in both contests, scoring five runs in the first inning against Laurel and six in the opening frame versus Glendive.
“The weather was a little miserable, but I was very pleased by how the girls got started,” Smith said. “I thought our hitting was good for everybody up and down the order.”
Vanessa Kent threw two complete games in the circle. She allowed just three hits in the opener before surrendering four runs on 11 hits in the nightcap.
Kent struck out a total of five and walked five in 12 innings of work.
Columbia Falls defeated Livingston 7-6 and lost 10-4 to Sidney. Libby fell to Hamilton 5-4. Box scores for those games were not available.
Polson is back in action today versus Miles City, the top team in Eastern A, at 9 a.m. and Colstrip at 12:30 p.m.
Laverne Combo Tournament
Friday
Stodden Park and Father Sheehan Park
Day 1 Scores
Corvallis 7, Glendive 6
Polson 10, Laurel 0
Deer Lodge 4, Dillon 0
Stevensville 9, Livingston 7
Florence 11, Miles City 2
Huntley Project 15, Ronan 0
Hamilton 10, Sidney 1
Hardin 17, Browning 8
Colstrip 7, Manhattan 1
Columbia Falls 7, Livingston 6
Havre 9, Butte Central 3
Columbus 10, Deer Lodge 2
Polson 8, Glendive 4
Stevensville 10, Miles City 2
Corvallis 16, Browning 4
Columbus 13, Colstrip 2
Florence 13, Laurel 1
Dillon 5, Hardin 5
Ronan 15, Havre 1
Frenchtown 5, Butte Central 3
Hamilton 5, Libby 4
Sidney 10, Columbia Falls 4
Huntley Project 18, Manhattan 0
Box Scores
Polson 511 003 — 10 14 0
Laurel 000 000 — 0 3 1
WP — Vanessa Kent. LP — Kildahl.
POLSON — Kaelyn Smith 2-4, Marina Mayorga 0-4, Quinn Motichka 2-4, Josie Caye 3-4, Kaylanna DesJarlais 1-4, Laurel Bitterman 3-4, Paige Noyes 1-2, Grace Quinones 0-3, Lisa Costilla 0-3, Lexy Orien 0-1, Olivia Perez 2-2, Vanessa Kent 0-1.
LAUREL — Wommack 1-3, Goodwin 1-2, Chapman 0-3, Kildahl 0-2, Dawes 0-3, Zumbrema 1-2, Anderson 0-3, Thomac 0-2, Cooney 0-2.
2B — Motichka, DesJarlais, Perez. Wommack. HR — Motichka. RBI — Smith, Mayorga, Motichka 2, Caye 2, Bitterman, Noyes 2, Perez.
Polson 601 001 — 8 13 2
Glendive 000 310 — 4 11 2
WP — Vanessa Kent. LP — Gibbs.
POLSON — Kaelyn Smith 3-3, Marina Mayorga 1-4, Quinn Motichka 1-4, Josie Caye 1-3, Kaylanna DesJarlais 1-3, Laurel Bitterman 2-3, Paige Noyes 0-3, Grace Quinones 3-3, Olivia Perez 1-3.
GLENDIVE — Nagle 3-4, Lovato 1-3, Carpenter 0-2, Brown 1-3, Happ 3-3, Rowely 0-2, Gibbs 1-3, Torrez 2-3, Pearay 0-3.
2B — Caye. Happ 2. HR — Motichka. RBI — Smith, Motichka 2, Bitterman 2, Perez 2. Happ, Gibbs 2, Torrez.