Pony fastpitch falls just short of state tourney bid

The Havre High softball team had two chances to earn the one win it needed to reach the Class A state tournament. Unfortunately, for the Blue Ponies, that win never came.

Playing in what will be the final Central A Divisional softball tournament with Belgrade moving to Class AA next season, Havre traveled to Lewistown last Thursday, hoping to get back to yet another state tournament. But an 8-1 loss to Belgrade in the opening game left Havre taking on Livingston for third place and the final spot at the state tournament in Polson.

The Rangers swept the Ponies during the regular season, winning two close games against Havre at home and at divisionals, the result was the same, with Livingston pulling out a 5-3 win to send the Rangers, not the Ponies to state.

"It was a disappointing end," HHS head coach Tony Vigliotti said. "Our goal is to get to the state tournament and compete. It's not the kind of season we wanted or expect to have. We will keep building and doing things the right way. Thank you to our seniors for their hard work and dedication to our program."

In the opening game for HHS against Belgrade, the defending Class A state champions, the Ponies found themselves in a hole early after the Panthers scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Havre added a run in the top of the second when Kayleigh Baurele walked in a run. The bases were still loaded with Havre trailing 4-1, but the Ponies stranded all three runners and they wouldn't score again.

Belgrade, on the other hand, scored eight runs on 12 hits. Lauren Kato did a solid job on the mound limiting the damage but she was hit with the loss after giving up eight earned runs. Baurele surrendered five hits to the Ponies, including two to Janae Boles, who also added an RBI. Sammy Lovenguth, Zephy Linton and Katelyn Maloughney also got a hit each in the loss.

Against Livingston, Havre also fell behind by four runs but this time, neither team was able to get anything on the board until the fourth inning. Kato, who started again for the Ponies, held Livingston scoreless for the first three innings. Then, the Rangers broke things open with four runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Havre responded with three runs, as Kinzee Peterson drove in a run to get HHS on the board. Kato also helped her own cause, thanks to a two-run double that got the Ponies within a run at 4-3. In the bottom half of the fifth, Livingston added an insurance run and was able to hold the lead over the final two innings to wrap up a berth at the state tournament.

Both Peterson and Jera Verploegen, two seniors, finished with two hits to lead the way for the Ponies. Kato, another senior, also contributed with a hit, two RBIs and two walks. She was given the loss on the mound after six innings of work. She allowed five runs on 11 hits in addition to five strikeouts. Boles also got a hit and scored a run in her final game for Havre softball.

Havre finished the season 5-14-1, with a record of 1-7 against the rest of the Central A. Belgrade won the conference once again and will head to Polson this week, along with Lewistown and Livingston, to defend the Class A state championship.

Belgrade 8, Havre 1, SF

Havre 010 000 - 1 5 0

Begrade 410 300 - 8 12 1

WP - K. Baurele

LP - Lauren Kato

Havre - Janae Boles 2-3, Sydney Wilting 0-4, Sam Oliver 0-2, Jera Verploegen 0-1, Kinzee Peterson 0-2, Lauren Kato 0-2, Sammy Lovenguth 1-2, Kaitlyn Anderson 1-2, Zephy Linton 1-2, Katelyn Maloughney 1-2, Savannah Dawson 0-1, Peyton Brown 0-3.

Livingston 5, Havre 3, LO

Havre 000 030 0 - 3 6 1

Livingston 000 410 x - 5 11 0

WP - S. Ingram

LP - L. Kato

Havre - Janae Boles 1-3, Sydney Wilting 0-4, Lauren Kato 1-2, Kinzee Peterson 2-3, Sammy Lovenguth 0-3, Zephy Linton 0-3, Katelyn Maloughney 0-3, Jera Verploegen 2-3, Peyton Brown 0-2.