Thompson Falls holds off Plains, 2-1, in Western B-C playoffs
Thompson Falls celebrates beating Plains in a Western B-C Divisional playoff game last week. (Scott Shindledecker/Valley Press)
The Thompson Falls Lady Hawks softball team extended its season last Tuesday with a 2-1 win over county rival Plains.
Thompson Falls advanced to play Florence last week in a Western B-C Divisional tournament game Thursday. They lost 15-0. Friday, the Lady Hawks bowed from the tournament in a 12-1 defeat.
Against Plains, the Lady Hawks were on the short end of a 1-0 game after the Trotters scored on a fielding error in the second inning.
Catcher Kenzi Blood reached on an infield single and moved to second base on a wild pitch. Two outs later, Blood was still on second, but Blakely Lakko dropped a fly ball hit by Carlie Wagner and Blood raced home to make it 1-0.
The Trotters didn’t have too many scoring chances after that as Lady Hawks pitcher Cheyla Irvine tossed a four-hitter with three strikeouts and just one walk.
The Trotters did have runners on third base four times and second once after the second inning, but Irvine pitched out of trouble and her defense backed her well.
Possibly the biggest defensive play occurred in Plains’ last at-bat.
Plains No. 9 hitter Genna Deschamps slammed a one-out double to the gap in right-center field at Pirk’s Place.
Kayla Standeford grounded out to third as Deschamps moved to third. Trotters shortstop Izzy Butcher then put a charge into an Irvine offering, sending the ball to deep center. Lady Hawk Olivia Harnett kept going back and made the game-ending catch while on the move near the fence.
She and her teammates celebrated wildly and joyously.
The Lady Hawks tied the game in the fourth inning after three shutout frames where they had just one hit.
After Trotters hurler Celsey VonHeeder got two outs on harmless popups, Irvine slammed a home run over the fence in left. There was little doubt the ball was going over the fence and it cleared it easily.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Hawks took the lead for good as errors were key elements.
VonHeeder got Harnett to hit a comebacker to begin the inning, but Dylan Vigil then slashed a single to center and the ball got under the glove of Madison Elliott. Vigil took second base on the mishap.
Cella VonHuss followed with a single to left and the ball got away from Deschamps, which allowed Vigil to score the second run for Thompson Falls.
The Lady Hawks eventually loaded the bases but ran themselves out of a chance to score more.
Irvine and Abbi Lane each had two hits for the Lady Hawks.