Blue Hawks finish sixth at state

What a tremendous feat and season for the Blue Hawk softball team, earning a place at State after ten years. The team, along with Coach Jared Koskela and assistant coaches, Julie Detlaff and Lacey McCormick, took their talents to Anaconda last weekend for a sixth place victory.

The first game and high point of the tournament was a 12-4 triumph over the number one eastern team, the Shepherd Fillies. It was a wet and rainy game and Koskela said that you have to know how to throw a wet ball and the Blue Hawks did.

Thompson Falls snatched an 8-2 lead by the top of the fifth inning and held fast. "Two enormous home runs by Teagan and Sarah set up the elimination of the #1 seed of the East," said Koskela.

Blue Hawk Gabrielle Hannum belted out a double. Alivia McCormick and Olivia Harnett slammed base hits and the Hawks keen eyes earned them nine walks. Koskela said that pitcher Olivia Fitchett and catcher Sarah Koskela didn't let a ball get past them, which was a key to their success.

Hawks Teagan Saner and Koskela achieved three RBIs and Harnett two. With a 108-57 pitching average, stellar pitcher Olivia Fitchett struck-out two Fillies. Nine players were left on base and the team had ten hits.

Shepherd show-cased their own talents with eight hits, a home run, a triple, a double and seven strike-outs crediting pitcher Paige Goodell.

The second game was a 13-6 loss against the third seed of the East, the Conrad Cowdawgs. The score was 10-0 at the top of the fourth inning. "They were a good team and probably had the best pitcher in the State. We didn't find our rhythm until late in the game," said Koskela.

Batting base-hits were: Mackenzie Robinson, Cheyla Irvine, Brooklyn Cork, Koskela, McCormick, Harnett and Saner. Keeping stead-fast on the ball and walking were: McCormick, Fitchett and Hannum. Robinson lobbed a sacrifice fly, Koskela and Harnett stole bases and Fitchett, Koskela and Robinson got the RBI's. Fitchett pitched a 72-47 average with three strike-outs. McCormick pitched a 66-42 average with four strikeouts.

"We started hitting and if we had 2 more innings we may have beaten Conrad. We left a ton of runners stranded in scoring position each time we were batting," said Koskela.

Conrad had 13 hits, two home runs and two doubles. The Conrad-Choteau Cowdawgs went on to win the championship crown over MAC, the #2 seeded Western team, 8-3. It was their first title since 2016.

It was a close final game with the Stillwater Renegades claiming a 7-6 victory. The second seed Eastern team had just taken out Florence and Koskela said the Hawks were a little nervous going in. The Blue Hawks came out with bats swinging and were in the lead 6-3 at the top of the fifth but let it slip in the sixth with Stillwater gaining the stronghold.

Getting base hits were: Fitchett, Koskella, Irvine, McCormick, Harnett, Hannum and Saner. Hannum got three RBI's and Koskela one. The team walked two and left four at base. Fitchett with a 104-66 average struck-out three Renegades. Both the Hawks and the Renegades blasted out eight hits.

"With no experience at a state tournament we did outstanding and couldn't have asked for a better turnout. We got eliminated fighting. We lost to the No. 2 seed of the East by one run! We realized we belonged," said Koskela.

The Blue Hawks will lose two critical players in senior captains McCormick and Irvine but Koskela said that they had some young talent that could fill those shoes next year.