Plains softball rallies to top rival T-Falls

Who needs the boys of summer when you’ve got the “girls of Spring”?

No doubt a whole lot of baseball/softball fans may be pondering that very question following Plains’ come-from-behind 9-8 fast-pitch softball win over Sander County rival Thompson Falls last week in Plains.

This game had something for every fan, be they partial to softball or hardball.

There was the sunshine lighting up the majestic mountain scenery surrounding the Plains ball field. And there was the smell of hot dogs and hamburgers washing over the sun-splashed fans on a badly needed 60 degree Spring day.

But most of all, there were two teams with bats, balls and gloves who made sure the first softball game in the county this year was a water-cooler topic for the next several days.

A lazy hit for a single, a stolen base and a fielder’s choice allowed Thompson Falls to score the first run of the game and take a 1-0 lead into the home half of the first inning.

But the Trotters could not connect squarely off Lady Hawks pitching and went down 1-2-3 in their first trips to the plate.

T Falls then added a pair of runs in the top of the second inning on a double by Celia VanHuss, who advanced to third base on a single, then scored on a fielder’s choice. The Hawks plated two runs total in the second inning to go up 3-0.

Plains got a runner to third in the bottom of the second on a single, a hit-by-pitch and a fielder’s choice but could not push a run across the plate and left two runners stranded as a ground ball let to a put out at first base and an end to the second frame.

Thompson Falls put a runner on first when Sandy Koskela laced a single through the infield, but she ended up being left on base thanks to a strikeout and a line out that ended the top of the third.

Plains got on the board in the bottom of the third via a single, double and a pair of hit batters. Before the wildly played inning was over, Plains had three runners cross home plate to tie the score at 3-3.

Thompson Falls came right back in the top of the fourth, putting together a single, an error and a timely fielder’s choice to push three runs home and retake the lead, 6-3. The Trotters could not score in the bottom of the fourth, despite a single and double, leaving the score at 6-3 in favor of the Lady Hawks at the end of the inning.

The Plains defense stiffened in the top of the fifth inning, forcing the Hawks into a three-up, three-down situation. In the bottom of the fifth, Izzy Crabb and Madison Elliot scored to pull the home team within one at 6-5 with two innings to go.

T Falls added to their slim lead in the top of the sixth inning, with Olivia Harnett and Chelya Irvine scoring to give the visitors an 8-5 lead.

A pop out and a pair of ground outs led to a 1-2-3 inning for the Plains batters in the bottom of the sixth.

Heading into the top of the seventh, Plains pitching got a 1-2-3 inning of their own, as VanHuss popped out, Olivia Fitchiett grounded out and Mackenzie Robinson also grounded out.

That set up what proved to be an epic bottom of the last inning hometown rally.

Plains got runners on first and second with no one out via a pair of walks. A fielder’s choice moved those runners to second and third. However, one of the runners was then thrown out while trying to score, preserving the Thompson Falls lead with two outs. Another walk, a stolen base and an error brought in two runs to cut the Hawks lead to 8-7.

Then, with the bases loaded, Izzy Butcher scored from third to tie the score and threaten to send the game into extra innings. With fans from both sides loudly supporter their team, Jolena Caldwell scored from third base on a wild pitch, giving the Trotters a 9-8 walkoff win as the celebration spilled out of the Plains dugout.

The win help take the sting out of a pair of lopsided losses the Trotters suffered the weekend before in a tournament in Polson, and boosted their season record to 1-2. The loss was the opening game of the season for T Falls, which fell to 0-1.

Next up for the Lady Hawks is a pair of games in Idaho when they take on Kellogg this Tuesday, then travel to Bonners Ferry in the northern panhandle for a Wednesday night game. The Hawks will return home April 7 for their home opener against Troy.

Plains meanwhile, returns to action this Saturday with a road game in Deer Lodge.