Ponies tame Cowgirls in a thriller

A softball game can change in the blink of an eye, at least over the stretch of an inning or even over a couple of plays or pitches. A team can seemingly have the game in the bag, but then have their backs up against the wall.

The season is still young, but the Havre High softball program was tested for the second straight game. Thursday afternoon, the Central A Blue Ponies hosted the Class B Conrad Cowgirls at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field in Havre. And after holding a healthy lead down the stretch, the Ponies needed all seven innings to edge the Cowgirls 13-12 in non conference play.

Havre High's Davee McLeod fires a pitch during Thursday's girls fastpitch softball game between the Blue Ponies and the Conrad Cowgirls at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field. The Ponies won 13-12.

"We showed a lot of perseverance," Havre High head coach Danny Wirtzberger said. "And we showed a lot of our youthfulness, but it is good to see that youth come away with the win. It is unfortunate that the youth led to late runs, but I think this was a great situation to be in. I told the girls that if they didn't want to be in the game, bottom of the seventh, with the score tied, and with runners in scoring position, then they shouldn't be here. That is what they should dream about, and we are lucky Roxanna was in that situation and that she came through."

Roxanna Jensen was the hero on Thursday, knocking in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. In the top of the seventh the Cowgirls gave the Ponies a scare. HHS led 12-7, but the Cowgirl batters began to catch up with Rachel Majeres on the mound. Conrad went off for five runs off of four hits, and two Havre errors to tie the ballgame at 12-12.

Havre's Harlee Boucher gets ready to hit during a girls fastpitch softball game between the Blue Ponies and Conrad Thursday at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field in Havre.

The Conrad offense had been relatively quiet before, but finally broke through. But luckily for the Ponies, they were able to answer right back in the bottom of the frame. Paige Henderson was able to reach first base on an error, and after stealing second, the Ponies had the go ahead run in scoring position. And Jensen knew exactly what to do with a favorable pitch, as she roped a line drive into center field, scoring Henderson, and giving the Ponies the one run victory. Jensen finished the day batting 3-for-4 with three RBIs, as well as scored one run.

"That felt pretty good because I know I made some mistakes," Jensen said. "But having a tough inning, and then coming back like that, that made everybody feel pretty good. It made me feel pretty good too, and I think it helped me make up for any mistakes I made earlier."

HHS freshman Dani Wagner runs the bases during Thursday's game at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field.

Conrad took a 2-0 lead through the first inning, but the Ponies took over in the bottom of the second. HHS scored seven runs on five hits and one Cowgirl error to take a 7-2 lead. Tori Mazurkiewicz had a single, Shania Carlson earned a walk, Liz Facio had an RBI single, Morgan Mazurkiewicz had an RBI single, Davee McLeod got on by way of an error, Henderson was walked and Jensen had a two RBI single. It was solid inning all around for the Ponies, and they looked to be on cruise control.

The lead was shaved to 7-4 through three innings, and shaved even closer after the top of the fourth. But the Ponies answered again in the bottom of the fourth, scoring two more runs on three hits. The 9-6 lead then moved to 10-6, 10-7, 12-7, then 12-12, as nothing that the Ponies did or tried kept the Cowgirls from surging back.

"I can't say enough about Conrad," Wirtzberger said. "Their leadership and coaches are strong enough to see that they are still in a game even when they are five runs down. That is not easy to do, it is so easy to give up, but they didn't, they kept coming right at us."

McLeod was the starting HHS pitcher and put in three complete innings of work. McLeod gave up four runs on seven hits. In Majeres' four innings of relief, Conrad racked up nine more hits.

The Ponies had 15 hits of their own. Wagner was 2-for-5 with two RBIs, Morgan Mazurkiewicz was 1-for-3 with an RBI, McLeod was 2-for-4, Henderson was 1-for-2 with an RBI, Tori Mazurkiewicz was 1-for-2, Carlson was 1-for-1, Facio was 2-for-2 with an RBI, Sydne Huston was 0-for-4 and Majeres was 2-for-2 with one RBI and a double.

Havre's Liz Facio fires a ball to the infield during a fastpitch softball game between Havre and Conrad Thursday in Havre.

"I have to give a hand to my assistant coach Bob Evans," Wirtzberger said. "He does a

nice job working with these girls with cage work, tee work, soft toss work, and live hitting. He does a nice job and we are starting to see that the girls are more confident when they are at the plate."

But like coach Wirtzberger said, the HHS defense has showed signs of strength this season, but also showed signs of youth and inexperience against the Cowgirls. HHS committed four errors late in the game, as well as came up short on a handful of fly balls that would have limited Conrad runs. The Conrad batters deserve their credit, but the Ponies didn't make things easy on themselves late in the ball game either.

"That shows that we have a lot of work to do. If we want to be an elite Class A team, we have a lot of work to do. It is going to take lots of practice," he said.

The Ponies (2-0) will now continue on to Belgrade where they will face Polson and Hardin in two more non conference matchups on Saturday. HHS will face Polson at 3 p.m. and Hardin at 4 p.m.

Blue Ponies 13, Cowgirls 12

Conrad 202 201 5 – 12 15 5

Havre 070 212 1 – 13 15 4

WP – Rachel Majeres; LP - Morgan Fowler

Conrad– Morgan Fowler 4-5 RBI, Hannah Bowers 1-4, Michaela DeBoo 3-3 RBI, Taylor Judisch 3-3 RBI, Kaylee Taule 3-5 2RBI, Krista Judisch 1-4 RBI, Genessa Naylor 0-4, Gabby Drishinski 0-1, Emily Harwood 0-1.

Havre – Roxanna Jensen 3-4 3RBI, Dani Wagner 2-5 2RBI, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 1-3 RBI, Davee McLeod 2-4, Paige Henderson 1-2 RBI, Tori Mazurkiewicz 1-2, Shania Carlson 1-1, Liz Facio 2-2 RBI, Sydne Huston 0-4, Rachel Majeres 2-2 RBI.