Ponies ground Eagles in huge rematch

The Havre High softball team gave their senior class quite the sendoff on their senior night with a walk-off win against Lewistown on Friday at Sixth Avenue Memorial Field.

Things did not look good for the Blue Ponies heading into the bottom of the seventh inning as they trailed, 3-2. After two runners got on base, Avery Carlson drove in a run to tie the game. Jocelyn Staples then put the ball in play and reached on an error that allowed Danni Wirtzberger to score and give Havre the 4-3 victory.

"They just do not quit, they just keep coming at you and it's a fun group to be around," said HHS head coach Tony Vigliotti.

The win over Lewistown opened the door for Havre to possibly earn the no. 1 seed in the divisional tournament later this month as they are now tied for first in the Northeast A with a 5-1 conference record. The teams split the season series so if the Ponies win out and Lewistown loses one of their remaining games, Havre will earn the no. 1 seed.

Coming into the year, Vigliotti believed he had a young team that needed to mature if they were going to have a shot this year. His players have been more than up to the task as they have led the team to a 10-3-1 record this season.

"We're heading in the right direction and it's all about these kids," Vigliotti said. "We can coach and we can teach, but they have to go out and do it and they're certainly doing it right now, playing well."

After the game, the Ponies celebrated their seniors Staples, Lexi Haney, Quinn McDonald, Paige Parsons, Ellie Collins, Samantha Lovenguth and Sydney Wilting. Haney believes that winning a game in walk-off fashion was the perfect way to celebrate their Havre careers.

"It's sad that it's coming to an end really quickly but it felt really good, especially with the win," Haney said. "I think that's exactly what all of us wanted and we got it."

This group of seniors were freshmen when Vigliotti first took over the program, making this class a special group in his coaching tenure.

"They're our first group of freshmen and they've hung with us," Vigliotti said. "That says something when you keep those kids coming and it shows on the field and in the classroom. It's a great group of kids."

The game did not start out as exciting as its finish as neither team scored in the first two innings. The scoreless tie was finally broken in the top of the third when a double from Madison Affolder drove in a run to give Lewistown a 1-0 lead. The Ponies were lucky that it was a ground-rule double because if it had stayed in play, another Eagle runner might have gotten home.

The Ponies finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Alyssa Oliver tied the game when she scored on an Eagle error and then another error allowed Paige Parsons to score and give Havre the lead. This inning stood in contrast to the Ponies' 3-1 loss to Lewistown last week where they could not score until the seventh inning because they failed to put the ball in play.

"We worked on it in practice. We preached putting the ball in play," Vigliotti said. "We definitely put the ball in play more and it showed."

The Ponies lost their lead in the top of the sixth when the Eagles hit a home run to left field to tie the game, 2-2. In the top of the seventh, Jessica Morgan hit a home run to left field to give Lewistown the 3-2 lead, meaning they only needed three outs for a season sweep of the Ponies.

Keylee Kline gave the Ponies a chance in the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff single. Wirtzberger then reached base on a bunt to give the Ponies two runners on base with no outs. Carlson then drove in a run to tie it and a sacrifice bunt got runners in scoring position. Staples then put the ball in play; that gave Wirtzberger the chance to win the game.

Carlson and Staples finished the game with the Ponies only two RBIs while Oliver led the team with two hits. Haney pitched all seven innings for the Ponies. While she allowed two home runs, she finished her senior night allowing eight hits, three earned runs, three walks and striking out eight batters.

"Lexi's been solid all year," Vigliotti said. "We're so proud of her from where she was as a seventh grader to now and just to see how hard she's worked. It's been awesome and she pitched another good game tonight that kept us in the game."

The Ponies now only have three games left before divisionals begin on May 21. All three games will be on the road as Havre finished the season undefeated at home with an 8-0 record. The divisional tournament will be held in Havre, so the Ponies will have a strong home field advantage to begin the postseason.

"Mentally that's huge for us," Vigliotti said. "We love playing at home and it shows."

Havre will next play at Glasgow tonight at 5 in Glasgow.

Havre 4, Lewistown 3

Lewistown 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 - 3 8 4

Havre 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 - 4 6 2

WP - Lexi Haney

LP - Jessica Morgan

Havre Batting - Avery Carlson 2-4, Lizzi Haney 0-3, Jocelyn Staples 1-4, Sam Lovenguth 0-3, Quinn McDonald 0-3, Alyssa Oliver 2-3, Lexi Haney 0-2, Keylee Kline 1-2, Danni Wirtzberger 0-2, Ellie Collins 0-1.