Page 59 - Flathead Beacon // 6.1.16

MONTANA SIDELINES
A ROUNDUP OF LOCAL SPORTS NEWS
Glacier senior Ali Williams hugs her teammate after the softball state championship game. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON Glacier Caps Softball Season in 2nd
Their hearts ached as much as their ace’s arm.
After six games and 42 innings in 48 hours, the Glacier girls tirelessly con- cluded the softball season on their home eld, where it all started.
In the end, Great Falls C.M. Russell managed just enough hits, just enough defense to unseat the defending cham- pions 3-1 on May 28 in the Class AA state nale at Kidsports Complex.
As the Lady Rustlers celebrated retak- ing the title for the rst time since 2012, the Wolfpack carried the runner-up tro- phy to right eld, where head coach Andy Fors delivered a heartening reminder.
“I told them how proud I was of them and how proud this town is of them,” Fors said. “It’s tough to lose that champi- onship game but we’re not disappointed. They need to understand what they’ve accomplished and what they’ve done over the last couple of years, how they built the program up and where they leave it, how much work that takes.”
In the last four years, the Wolfpack developed into a perennial state con- tender with a 71-27 overall record. Last year the girls won the program’s rst championship and three years ago placed third. Now add a second-place trophy to the case.
All-state senior Ali Williams pitched every inning for the Pack from Thursday through Saturday, capping her remark- able career with 58 strikeouts in 42 innings, including 11 in the championship game. She nished her stellar senior sea- son with 329 strikeouts in 182 innings.
“We worked hard to battle back, so I’m proud,” Williams said, admitting she could feel the toll on her right arm afterward.
The morning after pitching three challenging games on Friday, Williams
took the mound against Great Falls despite lingering fatigue and sti ness.
“We talked to her,” Fors said. “The message she said to us was good luck trying to drag her o the mound. Her senior year and with everything she’s put in, she wasn’t going to be denied that opportunity.”
In trademark style, Williams pow- ered through seven innings, striking out 10 batters and allowing only four hits against Great Falls. Junior Emma Shew knocked a homer and senior Christine Connolly added an RBI, while sopho- more Anna Schrade had two doubles as Glacier won 4-2 and advanced to the championship against CMR.
It was an uphill road toward the championship, needing to beat CMR twice, but Glacier made a run at it. The Pack jumped ahead early after senior Sarah Frandsen knocked in a run, but Great Falls’ Savanna Voyles belted a two-run homer in the fth and added an insurance run in the top of the seventh to give CMR a 3-1 lead. Similar to Friday’s matchup between the two teams, the Lady Rustlers sti ed the Pack o ense, holding Glacier to only six hits total and nishing the season with a 23-2 record.
“When you know you’re right there, one play here and there, that makes it tough, when it’s so close you can taste it,” Fors said. “But credit to CMR in both games.”
Connolly had a double and Erin McHugh, Christina DuFour and Meg Hornby each added singles for Glacier (21-7).
“I know we’re down about this game but a lot of people don’t get these chances. It’s been pretty amazing,” Connolly, who will continue playing at Carroll College next year with Williams, said.
“This year we really showed our grit.”
BY DILLON TABISH
ROCK YOURMOP
136 MAIN STREET > KALISPELL 260-4010 > WWW.SHORTYSMT.COM
WALK-INS WELCOME
JUNE 1, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
59