KALISPELL – Defending state Class AA champion Glacier High of Kalispell erupted for nine runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, wiping out a four-run deficit, and went on to win 12-5 over Butte High Saturday in a Western AA Conference high school girls’ softball game.
The Bulldogs had built a 5-1 lead through three-and-a-half innings behind the pitching of freshman ace Brea Henderson and two runs batted in apiece by Gracie Jonart and Brittyn Klima. Kendallyn Schad whacked two hits for the offense, including a double.
Home runs by Ava Grady and Addy Cunningham led the Wolfpack’s attack. Grady also slugged two doubles and drove in five total runs. Cunningham knocked in three runs while hitting her homer and a single.
“We had one rough inning,” Butte High head coach Ryan Stosich said. “The girls played hard this weekend.
“We had one tough call that went against us that seemed to change the momentum in the top of the fourth. (If the call had gone the Bulldogs’ way), that would have put us up 7-1, maybe more.”
Henderson yielded was relieved by fellow freshman Aspen Shaffer in the fifth inning. Henderson walked five batters and struck out one in her four-inning stint, giving up 10 runs. Shaffer struck out one, walked two and was touched for three hits.
Glacier pitcher Olivia Warriner went the distance, fanning 11 batters and walking one. She allowed six hits.
Allie Becker hit a run-scoring single and Mattie Stepan also singled, rounding out Butte High’s hit totals. Schad drew the team’s only walk.
Leadoff hitter Karley Allen walked three times, igniting the Wolfpack offense.
Glacier has played in two of the last three state championship games, winning two of them.
Butte High is scheduled to go back out on the road on Monday, journeying to Missoula for a 5 p.m. conference game against Sentinel.
Butte High 103 100 0 — 5 6 4
Glacier 100 920 x – 12 14 1
Brea Henderson, Aspen Shaffer (5) and Mattie Stepan. Olivia Warriner and Emma Smith. W – Warriner. L – Henderson (4-4).
BUTTE HIGH (4-4, 4-4) – Mattie Stepan ( C) 1-4, Savannah Stosich (CR) 0-0, Reese Johnson (2B) 0-3, Kendallyn Schad (1B) 2-3, Taylor Regan (PR) 0-0, Gracie Jonart (RF) 1-3, Brittyn Klima (DP) 1-3, Avery Barsness (Flex/CF) 0-0, Allie Becker (SS) 1-4, Ally Godbout (LF) 0-3, Brea Henderson (P) 0-2, Aspen Shaffer (P) 0-0, Cliry Conway (3B) 0-2, Elli Graham (3B) 0-1.
KALISPELL GLACIER (9-3, 7-1) – Karley Allen (CF) 2-2, Olivia Warriner (P) 1-5, Taelor Holt (RF) 2-5, Ava Grady (SS) 3-4, Emma Smith ( C) 2-3, Sophia Frederick (LF) 1-4, Tensley Conner (3B) 0-4, Addy Cunningham (1B) 2-4, Lanee Anderson (2B) 1-2, Ella Bailey (PH) 0-1, Joslyn Crofts (CR) 0-0.
Extra-base hits – 2B – Schad, Grady 2. HR – Grady, Cunningham.
Runs batted in – Butte High 5 (Jonart 2, Klima 2, Becker 1), Glacier 11 (Grady 5, Cunningham 3, Holt 2, Warriner 1).
