The Frenchtown Invitational Softball Tournament brings teams together that may not always have a chance to play each other during the regular season. Teams may play out of their conference and out of their classification but it all helps with the season coming to a close in just four weeks. All of the valley’s softball teams participated.
Hamilton opened their play against Polson, whom they had defeated just a week ago. Polson took the lead in the first inning but then Hamilton rallied in the bottom of the third to score two runs. Polson came back to tie in the sixth and then take the lead in the seventh inning, Polson won, 4-3. Hamilton had the tying run in scoring position and the go-ahead run on base but Polson’s pitcher, Haley Fyant, held the Lady Broncs off for the win.
Hamilton had eight hits and two errors. Caitlin Dillon went 2-for-4 with a double. Mallory McGill went 1-for-3 and knocked in a runner. Tessa Della Silva also had an RBI for Hamilton. Sky Lopez took the loss for Hamilton.
Hamilton’s next game was against Lewistown. They scored six runs in the second inning and cruised on to a 14-5 win. Hamilton had 13 hits and two errors. Lopez claimed the win. Hayley Hudgins, who went 2-for-3, had a home run and a triple and knocked in three runners. Catcher Kelsi Meis also went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Dillon, McGill and Lopez each had an RBI too.
However Saturday was a different day. Hamilton took on Columbia Falls in their first game and fell, 17-4, in six innings. Rachael Richardson went 1-for1 with a triple. Meis and Hudgins each had an RBI.
Hamilton battled Belgrade. The Panthers scored five runs in the first inning and held on for the last 6-3 win. Richardson and McGill each cleared the fence for a home run and Meis had a double. McGill had two RBIs and Richardson had one.
Stevensville blasted Anaconda, 17-3, on Friday behind the pitching of Sarah Morrison. The Yellowjackets scored nine runs in the third inning. They had a total of 11 hits and only one error. Makala Davids bombed a home run and had four RBIs. She was 2-for-2 at bat. Sad Paul, Haley Kampka, and Callie Lendman each had doubles and each scored a runner. Abby Austin went 1-for-3 at bat with two RBIs.
Stevensville then ran over Ronan, 16-0, in four innings. Joey Tyler was the winning pitcher. Kaylee Berning went 2-for-2 with a triple and two RBIs. Mikayla Newman also went 2-for-2 with a triple. Kampka had two RBIs and Kylee Martin had three RBIs. She was perfect at bat, going 2-for-2. Davids, Martin and Taylor Springer all hit doubles.
Stevensville and Corvallis ran up against a tough Mission team on Saturday. Both teams lost to the Bulldogs.
Corvallis lost to Libby, 13-1. Kayla Fields was the losing pitcher. Maria Hickey had an RBI for the Blue Devils.
Florence topped Libby, 3-2, on Saturday. Brianna Hoffman was the winning pitcher. Chloe Arthur had a triple and two RBIs. Kali Leibenguth had an RBI also. Polson topped Florence in another close game, 5-4. Florence scored all of its runs in the second inning and couldn’t cross home plate again. Hoffman was the pitcher for Florence. Emily Kinnaman went 1-for-3 and had a double and an RBI. Shannon Byrne went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.