Blue Ponies take on Rangers in key Central A road games

During the last week and change, the Havre High softball team has been taking part in an important stretch of its season and Saturday, the Blue Ponies will continue with a crucial road doubleheader against Livingston.

Havre, which comes into the double-dip with a 4-7 overall record and a 1-3 mark in the Central A conference, will wrap up conference play with the two games against the Rangers, which are scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

"We are hoping that we can keep this momentum moving forward," HHS head coach Tony Vigliotti said. "Really, since the Belgrade games, we have been playing with a lot more confidence and I think that was a turning point for us. Now, we just have to try and keep that going, we would really like to finish 3-3 in the conference."

Last season, in Vigliotti's first as the head coach, the Ponies swept the Rangers in Havre and that's the objective again this weekend, although, on the road, it won't come easy.

"I got a chance to see them play a couple of weeks back in Lewiston and they are a solid team," Vigliotti said. "They have improved from last year and we are going to have to go down Saturday morning on the bus and be ready to go."

A key part of Havre's success in the last two games has been the pitching and defense. In Monday's win over Lewistown at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field, Lauren Kato tossed a complete-game shutout for the Ponies, who won 3-0. Sam Oliver then turned around and allowed just two hits and one run in three innings of work. As for Saturday, Vigliotti said he would continue to rotate the two pitchers, which he says each bring something different to the mound.

"They both have their own styles," Vigliotti said. "Sam throws a little harder and is able to get more velocity but Lauren does a great job of hitting her spots and getting the ball in play and these last two games, our defense has really stepped up."

In the back-to-back wins, Havre has made just one error and the offense is fresh off a 20-run, 21-hit explosion against the Scotties Tuesday. A big part of that was the plate performance of Kinzee Peterson, which has been spectacular all season long. In 38 plate appearances, Peterson is batting .500 to go along with six home runs and 22 RBIs, both team highs.

Sam Oliver is right behind her in total hits (15) and is batting .429. Sydney Wilting is also batting .438 with one homer and eight runs batted in. Peyton Brown is also batting .348 with a home run and Janae Boles, the leadoff hitter, is hitting .306 with an on-base percentage of .390. She is also second on the team in runs scored with 14, just behind Wilting who bats in the two spot.

"Offensively, I think we have some confidence right now," Vigliotti said. "We just have to stay focused on putting the ball in play and good things will happen."

After the doubleheader against Livingston, Havre will be done with its Central A conference schedule in the regular season. With two wins over Livingston, as well as a Livingston win over Lewistown in a later meeting, HHS would finish as the two seed.

Havre will be back home at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field Monday for a game against Glasgow at 5 p.m. The Ponies will then host the Havre Invite next weekend in their final home games of the 2019 season.