Ponies knock out Eagles in home debut

Thanks to a stellar night on the mound from Alex Barkus and a memorable three-run home run from Kinzee Peterson, the Havre Blue Ponies did something in softball that they haven’t done in years and that’s beat Lewistown.

After getting 10-run ruled by Lewistown just 10 days prior, 14-4 in Lewistown, the Ponies evened the season series between the two teams at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field Friday night, knocking off the Eagles 8-5. Barkus, who was the losing pitcher for Havre in the first meeting, enacted some revenge, earning a complete-game victory over the Eagles, after allowing just five runs in seven innings pitched.

“Since I have been on varsity, we have never beat Lewistown,” Barkus said. “So it’s a great day. It was a fun game.”

While Barkus struggled to slow down the Lewistown batting order in the first meeting, this time around, she was locked in, getting through the first four innings unschathed. She notched a few strikeouts in the process, but also helped herself with some timely defense, getting key outs in the first and second innings.

While Barkus kept Havre all square with Lewistown early, Peterson came up with her first clutch hit of the evening, an RBI single that gave the Ponies a 1-0 lead. It wouldn’t be her last big hit of the night.

“I play golf and hockey and I have a lot of muscle memory,” Peterson said of her ability to get key hits. “I work all season long, all year round.”

Barkus kept Lewistown scoreless in the fourth inning, before two insurance runs from Havre pushed the lead to 3-0 heading into the fifth. However, that’s when the Eagles finally got to Barkus, plating three runs to tie the game heading into the sixth inning. But in the bottom of the sixth, with the score still tied 3-3, Havre grabbed the lead when Kylie Walker scored on a pass ball. The Ponies added to their lead when Sam Oliver drove in a run to make it 5-3.

And, when Peterson came to the plate with two runners on and a chance to create some serious distance between the two teams on the scoreboard, the catcher didn’t miss her chance, blasting a three-run homer, making the score 8-3.

“It was pretty exciting,” Peterson said. “That was my first one this year. I have been pretty pick at the plate waiting for the perfect pitch.”

In the top of the seventh, Barkus went back to the mound to finish off the game and despite allowing a two-run homer, which made the score 8-5, the senior found a way to get three more outs and the complete-game victory. Peterson led the way at the plate with two hits and four RBIs.

“We just kind of forgot about that game,” Barkus said of the previous loss to Lewistown. “It was the first time we were on the field. This time, we didn’t give away as many extra outs and everyone played as a team. We all showed up to play today.”

After beating Lewistown Friday, Havre traveled to Belgrade to take on the defending state champions Saturday and were swept, losing back-to-back games to the Panthers by the scores of 15-0 and 6-2.

Ty Atwood and Maddie Kreiger both belted home runs for Belgrade in the first game of the double dip, while starting pitcher Erin Elgas one-hit the Ponies on her way to a shutout. Peyton Brown was the only Havre player that managed a hit. Belgrade scored seven runs in the second inning and eight in the third. The game ended after the fourth inning due to the mercy rule. Lauren Kato got the loss for Havre.

In the second game, Barkus was back on the mound for the Ponies, who managed to get four hits and two runs off Belgrade pitcher Kaleigh Bauerle. Janae Boles, Oliver, Peterson and Brown all got hits in the game, but it wasn’t enough as the Panthers got six runs on eight hits. Belgrade two runs in the second, one in the fourth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh.

Barkus got the loss as the Ponies fell to 3-3 overall on the season and 1-3 in the Central A conference. Havre can even its mark in conference play next Saturday, when it will host Livingston for a doubleheader.

Havre 8, Lewistown 5

Lewistown 000 030 2 - 5 7 0

Havre 000 125 x 8 6 1

WP - Alex Barkus

Havre batting - Janae Boles 1-3, Sydney Wilting 1-3, Sam Oliver 1-2, Kinzee Peterson 2-4, Camryn Huston 0-3, Alex Barkus 0-3, Lauren Kato 1-2, Jera Verploegen 0-2, Peton Brown 0-2.

Belgrade 15, Havre 0

Havre 000 - 0 1 1

Belgrade 078 - 15 11 0

W - Eglas (4-1). L - Kato.

HAVRE (2-2) - Boles 0-2, Sydney Wilting 0-1, Oliver 0-1, Peterson 0-1, Camryn Huston 0-1, Alex Barkus 0-1, Kato 0-1, Melia Olson 0-1, Peyton Brown 1-1.

BELGRADE (7-2) - Elgas 1-3, Curry 2-2 (2B), Olivia Cook 0-3, Ty Atwood 1-3 (HR), Heather Gier 1-1, Maddie Kreiger 2-2 (HR), Presley Jacobsen 2-3 (3B), Alexa Deming 2-3, Khiala Rollins 0-0.

Belgrade 6, Havre 2

Belgrade 020 101 2 - 6 8 4

Havre 000 000 2 - 2 4 2

W - Bauerle (2-1). L - Barkus.

BELGRADE (8-2) - Elgas 0-3, Presley Jacobson 1-1(HR), Hoppe 2-4, Olivia Cook 1-4 (2B), Ty Atwood 0-3, Lanie Morgan 0-1, Kamie Gorrell 0-0, Heather Gier 1-3 (HR), Maddie Kreiger 1-3, Haylee Curry 1-3, Alexa Deming 0-3, Khiala Rollins 0-2, Kenna Thomas 1-1 (HR).

HAVRE (2-3) - Janae Boles 1-3, Sydney Wilting 0-4, Samantha Oliver 1-3, Peterson 1-3, Camryn Huston 0-2, Barkus 0-3, Lauren Kato 0-2, Kaitlin Anderson 0-3, Peyton Brown 1-3.