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Claire Worm and the Havre Blue Ponies are hoping to make their home debut Thursday against the Browning Indians. The game was moved from last Tuesday due to rain, but more rain is in the forecast. Thursday's game is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Chris Peterson
Havre Daily News
Spring weather in Montana is always hard to predict. Often times, it changes from day to day and that can make completing scheduled events hard at times.
The Havre High softball team has already experienced issues with the weather, as rain caused the Blue Ponies game against Browning April 5 to be canceled. Yet, with plenty of room on the schedule, Havre and Browning rescheduled their season-opening game for Thursday, when the Central A rivals will meet at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field at 5 p.m.
Yet, Thursday’s meeting will not be the only one between the Ponies and Indians this week, as the Havre will travel to Browning Saturday to play the second game of the season series between the two schools. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
While Havre has played competitively in each of the last two weekends, first in the Great Falls Jamboree and then in Belgrade at the First Pitch tournament, the Ponies have yet to play a regulation game. HHS has played in seven exhibition games, games that were limited to one-hour and in those contests, Havre is 2-6. Yet, four of those games came against Class AA schools, as well as Polson and Columbia Falls, which are both talented teams from the Northwest A.
“I think (tournaments) have been good for us,” HHS head coach Whitney McNally said. “It’s good, competition wise, because sometimes you play well in practice and then in a game you can go up against a team that you aren’t used to seeing and you see what you need to change or work on a little bit more.”
One thing that McNally and the Ponies have going for them is some solid depth on the mound. Not only does HHS have All-Stater Dani Wagner, but Alex Barkus, J.J. Hossa and Nicole Parsons are solid pitchers as well.
McNally said Hassa is likely to get the start against Browning. That means Wagner will be in centerfield, her customary position when she’s not pitching. The senior is a very good pitcher, but she might be the best outfielder in the state and she also excels at the plate, where she has a home run and multiple extra-base hits already this season.
Joining Wagner in the Havre lineup is Jacey McDonald, who was a force in the middle of the lineup last season, as well as Barkus, Payton Howard, Madison Tommerup, Scout Boucher, Claire Worm, Hassa and Parsons.
In Browning, the Ponies will face a team they have dominated traditionally, including a 3-0 record last season, but according to McNally, the Indians are working to build their program up and could be more competitive that they have been in years past.
“I know their coach is working really hard,” McNally said. “They have, like, 27 girls out, so they have good numbers and I have heard that they have improved, so we will see.”
Havre and Browning will each begin their 2016 Central A conference schedules with their game Thursday. First pitch will be at approximately 5 p.m.
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