Frenchtown Broncs gallop away from Maroons in Combo

Carah Evans slugged a two-run homer in the top of the third inning and Frenchtown went on to a 9-3 Southwestern A Conference high school girls’ softball victory over Butte Central Friday evening in the LaVerne Combo Invitational tournament at Stodden Park.
Alexis Godin started the inning and drew a walk to set the table for Evans. BC pitcher Hattie Mehring retired the next three Broncs on flyouts, but Butte Central was unable to stay with the defending state Class A champs.
Frenchtown took a 2-0 edge in the top of the first inning. Leadoff batter Saige Williams singled, but was erased at second base when Godin hit into a fielder’s choice. Evans then doubled Godin home and scored on a double by Parker Robinson.
Brooke Badovinac smacked a two-out double to get the Maroons going in the bottom of the inning. She then scored on a Jaiden Berger single and BC trailed 2-1 after an inning.
Evans’ round-tripper gave he Broncs a little more margin in the third after a scoreless second inning. Hattie Mehring to start the BC third and later scored on a base hit by Alex Morey. Robinson, Frenchtown’s pitcher, then held Butte Central scoreless until the seventh inning while the Broncs built a 9-2 cushion.
The Broncs scored three runs with two out in the fourth inning to add to their advantage. Tarin Croy doubled to start it and came home two outs later on a base hit by Williams. Godin reached on an error and then Evans and Olivia Campbell rapped RBI singles in succession.
Williams singled in a run in the fifth and Campbell thumped a home run in the sixth for a 9-2 difference. The Maroons finished out the scoring with their seventh-inning run. Arika Stajcar hit a two-out single and came home after a steal and passed ball on a single by Mia Keeley.
Berger had three hits for BC and Badovinac, Keeley and Morey each had two. Mehring and Stajcar also hit. Butte Central’s games Saturday in the tournament are a nonconference tilt with Miles City at 12:30 p.m. and a Southwestern A Conference counter against Stevensville at 4 p.m.
Frenchtown 202 311 0 – 9 11 0
Butte Central 101 000 1 – 3 11 5
Parker Robinson and Olivia Mattix. Hattie Mehring and Mia Keeley. W – Robinson. L – Mehring.
FRENCHTOWN – Saige Williams 3-4, Alexis Godin 0-3, Carah Evans 3-4, Olivia Campbell 2-4, Parker Robinson 1-4, Kendra Jacobs 1-3, Tarin Croy 1-4, Olivia Mattix 0-0, Dakota Fortney 0-4, Tanli Croy 0-3.
BUTTE CENTRAL – Kathryn Lalicker 0-4, Hattie Mehring 1-3, Brooke Badovinac 2-4, Jaeden Berger 3-4, Arika Stajcar 1-3, Mia Keeley 2-3, Alex Morey 2-4, Chloe Wright 0-0, Renee Creekmore 0-3, Sophia Gelling 0-1, Cloe Stillwagon 0-1.
Extra-base hits – 2B – Evans, Robinson, Tarin Croy, Badovinac. HR – Evans, Campbell.