Glacier KOs Flathead, heads to AA state softball
It started with a home run and ended with a resounding sweep as Glacier crushed Flathead 16-1 and 23-3 on Thursday afternoon at Glacier High School in a best-of-3 Western AA state tournament play-in softball series.
Freshman Kynzie Mohl led off the bottom of the first inning for the Wolfpack with a solo home run to left-center field. It was her sixth of the season, which ties her for the most in AA.
That led to a five-run inning.
Glacier came back with six more in the second, two driven in on a single my Mohl, two in the third and three more in the fourth to end it after five innings on the 10-run rule.
Glacier had 16 hits in the first game with Mohl, Addie Labrum, Maddie Johnson, Sage Vanterpool and Emma Anderson all with two each.
It was all Wolfpack, again, in Game 2 with 23 runs and 23 hits.
Allee Meyer, Alivia Atlee and Meg Hornby had four hits each.
Atlee homered twice, a two-RBI shot in the first inning to right field and a solo line-drive blast to left-center field in the third. She finished with seven RBIs.
Hornby was next with five RBIs.
Anderson homered in the fifth, a solo shot to left field. It was her first of the season.
Glacier scored in all five innings with a 9-run second the big one.
Sage Vanterpool picked up both wins in the circle to raise her win total for the season to 11. She held Flathead to three hits in the opener and four in the second contest. Flathead leadoff hitter Riley Chouinard was 2 for 3 in both games.
“We had two goals coming in,” Glacier coach Abby Connolly said.
“The first one — to win two games. The second was to get as many players on our postseason roster (some game action) as possible. We accomplished both.”
Connolly suited 17 players and they played.
Glacier (13-7 overall) swept both crosstown contests with Flathead earlier this season and now holds a commanding 40-4 record over the Bravettes.
The Wolfpack, winners of four straight, open AA state tournament play next Thursday at 4 p.m. at Batch Fields in Helena versus the play-in winner of the Billings Senior versus Bozeman series.
Glacier won state in 2015 and finished second in 2016.
The Wolfpack missed out on state play last season.
“We’re super excited,” Connolly said.
“After another outstanding offensive performance, we’re excited to get to the state tournament and show everybody what we can do.”
Flathead 000 01 — 1 7 3
Glacier 562 3x — 16 16 0
Maitlynn Betts, Karissa Comer (2) and Kate Smith; Sage Vanterpool and Kynzie Mohl. W — Vanterpool; L — Betts.
FLATHEAD —Riley Chouinard 2-3, Kayla Kallis 1-2, Kaileigh Denna 0-3, Hailey Junk 1-2, Comer 0-2, Haylee Learn 0-2, Betts 1-2, Smith 1-1, Kyann Devera 1-2.
GLACIER — Mohl 2-3, Halle Schroeder 0-1, Addie Labrum 2-3, Allee Meyer 1-3, Alivia Atlee 1-2, Maddie Johnson 2-4, Hallie Nikunen 1-2, Jennifer Wallace 1-2, Vanterpool 2-2, Olivia Thomas 0-1, Emma Anderson 2-2, Avery Andersen 1-1, Meg Hornby 1-3, Emma Ritter 0-1.
2B—Betts; Johnson, Vanterpool; HR—Mohl; RBIs—Denna; Mohl (3), Meyer, Johnson, Nikunen, Wallace, Vanterpool (3), E. Anderson (2), A. Andersen, Hornby (3).
Glacier 291 65 — 23 23 1
Flathead 003 00 — 3 4 0
Betts, Learn (4) and Smith; Vanterpool and Mohl. W— Vanterpool; L — Betts.
GLACIER — Mohl 1-4, Labrum 2-4, Meyer 4-5, Atlee 4-5, Johnson 3-5, Nikunen 2-5, Vanterpool 0-2, Megan Eckert 0-0, E. Anderson 3-3, Hornby 4-4.
FLATHEAD — Chouinard 2-3, Kallis 0-3, Denna 1-2, Lexi Longtin 0-1, Junk 1-3, Comer 0-2, Alyssa Poe-Hatton 0-1, Betts 0-1, Learn 0-1, Ilyssa Centner 0-1, Allyssa Cadwalader 0-2, Smith 0-2, Devera 0-1.
2B—Labrum, Meyer (2), Johnson, Nikunen; Chouinard; 3B—Denna; HR—Atlee (2), E. Anderson; RBIs—Mohl, Labrum (3), Meyer (2), Atlee (7), Johnson (2), Nikunen (2), E. Anderson, Hornby (5); Denna (2), Junk.
Other Thursday Play-In Games
Best of 3
GAME 1
Helena High 13, Missoula Big Sky
Missoula Big Sky 200 01 — 3 6 5
Helena High 071 23 — 13 4 1
W – Mariah English, L – Payton Hudson
BIG SKY – Brylee Meisinger 1-3, Makenna Liechty 2-3, Payton Hudson 2-3, Alyssa Gentri 1-3, Makennah Hewitt 0-2, Chyanna Foote 0-1, Shaina Allen 0-1, Kayla Johnson 0-2, Grasey Szwedkwicz 0-2
HELENA - Kali Anderson 0-3, Addie Slanger 0-3, Jamie Pickens 1-2, Mariah English 1-2, Sam Matteucci 0-2, Amber Countryman 1-1, Mackenna Schmolke 1-1, Lyndie Ark 0-2, Emily Feller 0-1
2B - Countryman; HR - Schmolke, Hudson; RBIs - Schmolke 3, Hudson 2, Countryman, English, Pickens, Slanger, Walsh
GAME 2
Helena 18, Big Sky 1 (4 inn)
Helena High 720 9 – 18 10 1
Missoula Big Sky 010 0 — 1 5 2
W – Tyleigh Burchard, L – Payton Hudson
HELENA (12-8) - Kali Anderson 1-2, Faith Manibusan 0-1, Vanessa Walsh 1-2, Jamie Pickens 2-2, Mariah English 0-1, Casey Holland 0-1, Sam Matteucci 2-2, Emily Feller 1-1, Amber Countryman 0-1, Alex Sedlock 1-1, Mackenna Schmolke 0-1, Riley Thennis 0-1, Tyleigh Burchard 0-2, Lyndie Ark 1-1, Brooke Ark 1-1
BIG SKY – Brylee Meisinger 0-2, Makenna Liechty 2-2, Payton Hudson 0-2, Alyssa Gentri 2-2, Makennah Hewitt 1-2, Chyanna Foote 0-2, Shaina Allen 0-1, Kayla Johnson 0-1, Grasey Szwedkwicz 0-1
2B - Pickens, Anderson, B. Ark, Liechty; HR - Matteucci; RBIs - Pickens 4, Matteucci 2, L. Ark 2, Sedlock 2, Walsh 2, Slanger, Anderson, Countryman, Liechty