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Glacier Softball Bows Out of State Tournament

Young Wolfpack team loses twice after starting pitcher in injured during pregame warmups

By Andy Viano
Glacier pitcher Sage Vanterpool delivers a pitch during a crosstown softball game between Flathead and Glacier in Kalispell on April 17, 2018. Justin Franz | Flathead Beacon

First-year coach Abby Connolly led the Glacier Wolfpack to the Class AA state softball tournament in Helena May 24-25, but an untimely injury helped doom her team’s run after just two games.

Sophomore pitcher Sage Vanterpool suffered a fluke head injury warming up for the Wolfpack’s first game of the tournament, one they ultimately lost 5-1 to Billings Senior. In her place, Glacier used exclusively freshman pitchers in the two games and while Great Falls C.M. Russell eliminated the Pack in the consolation bracket the young team gained valuable experience.

“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Connolly said. “Now we have three freshman pitchers who have state pitching experience and hopefully they will have three more years at the state tournament.”

Glacier finished the season 13-9, and despite fielding a young lineup throughout the year that included five underclassmen, Connolly was most impressed with her two seniors: Alivia Atlee and Meg Hornby.

“We couldn’t have asked for better senior leadership,” she said. “It would have been really easy for them to hang up their hats but they really stepped up and they embraced their role of being older leaders on a young team. That was a huge part of our success.”

Great Falls High School won the Class AA state championship to complete an undefeated season.