High Strikouts, Late Runs Doom Softball in Havre

By Joseph

Despite the cold, wet weather that stalled all of the other competition this week, the Glasgow softball team was able to duck most of it, traveling west to take on Havre.

The Scotties got off to a powerful start in the game, with senior Jess Mehling knocking a two-run home run in the top of the first, giving the Scotties the early lead. 

However, the Scotties were chasing the lead for the rest of the game after giving up three runs in the bottom of the first. Glasgow tied the game with a hit off the bat of Katie Kittleson in the second, before allowing two more Havre runs later in the inning. The Scotties came back for a second time in the third inning, with senior Shielda Pattison hitting a two-run homer to tie the score at 5-5 after three. 

But the Scotties were only able to muster one more hit in the game, a fifth inning triple by Pattison, while the Blue Pony bats heated up. Havre scored two runs in the fourth and five in the sixth to push the game out of contention, winning 13-5.

The Scotties finished the game with five hits, two each by Pattison and Mehling and an RBI single by Kittleson. Tyana Rasmusan, who was given the start on the mound, allowed seven hits and three walks. The team had two errors in the game.

While fielding errors have been cut down dramatically, the Scotties are still having trouble with pitch selection at the plate. The team had 13 strikeouts as a team against Havre, including two innings in which all three outs were recorded on strikes.

With only five games left on the schedule, three of them against conference foes, the coaches are stressing that players learn quick, and get a sense of urgency. The Scotties currently stand in fifth place, but could move up to third in the next few weeks, a stance that would have them avoiding some of the conference powerhouses in the first round of divisionals in two weeks. 

The Scotties will have a short squad in this weekend's games because of the State Music Festival in Billings. On Saturday, the Scotties have away games against winless Sunburst and Cut Bank, a team the Scotties beat 18-5 at last weekend's Conrad Challenge. 

On Tuesday, with a full cast, the Scotties will take on Poplar, who is 0-7 in conference, setting up what could be their most important game, against Shelby on Thursday. The game with Shelby could set up who claims third place in the conference.