Havre softball sweeps Miles City to open season

Spring is finally back as the Havre High softball team hit the diamond for the first time this season Saturday. In their first action of the year, the Blue Ponies faced conference foe Miles City in a doubleheader on the road. The Ponies already looked like they were in midseason form as they swept the Cowgirls by scores of 20-2 and 19-1.

“I thought for the first time out, we performed very well,” HHS head coach Tony Vigliotti said. “We hit the ball well. Defensively, we only had one error in two games so we played really well.”

The Ponies got things rolling early against the Cowgirls. After leadoff hitter Avery Carlson was hit by a pitch and she advanced to second on a groundout, Alyssa Oliver hit a single to center field to drive in Carlson for the score. After a walk, Hannah Gingery doubled to get Oliver home for another run. An Elle Verploegen single to left drove in another pair of runs to give Havre a 4-0 lead in the first inning.

“We were ready to hit,” Vigliotti said about the start to the game. “We’ve been doing a lot of hitting the last couple weeks of practice so we just came out and were ready to play.”

In the bottom of the first, Carlson walked a pair of batters to give Miles City an opportunity. Brynn Notbohm then scored on a groundout to cut the score to 4-1. But the Ponies responded in the top of the second to extend the lead to 5-1. With two outs, three straight Ponies reached base thanks to a walk and a pair of hit batters. A bases-loaded walk then got Oliver home.

The Ponies kept it rolling in the top of the third to begin pulling away. After a Camille Keeley single and a walk, Lizzi Haney singled to right to get a runner home. After another walk, Gingery doubled to left to drive in another pair of runs. Huse then scored on a wild pitch to give Havre a 9-1 lead.

In the bottom of the third, Haley Hould scored on a wild pitch for the Cowgirls. But the Ponies stayed hot at the plate in the top of the fourth. Haney drove in another pair of runs on a groundout. Oliver then doubled to center to get another runner home. Oliver and Huse then scored on a pair of wild pitches to further stretch the lead.

After a bases-loaded hit batter and a bases-loaded walk, Carlson and Haney recorded another pair of hits to make the lead 20-2. Carlson then recorded three straight outs in the bottom of the fourth to end the game early.

Many Ponies had a strong game at the plate including Haney who recorded six RBIs and two hits. Gingery and Verploegen each recorded three RBIs in the game. In her first start of the season, Carlson pitched all four innings where she allowed two earned runs and one hit. She also walked three batters and struck out a pair.

“She’s a competitor so when she stepped out there, she was ready to go,” Vigliotti said about Carlson. “For her first time out throwing against somebody that’s trying to beat you, she did very well and she’s just going to continue to get better the more time she has in the circle.”

The Ponies kept up their strong play in the second game of their doubleheader. Huse started the game at pitcher and recorded a shutout in the top of the first inning. After a pair of hits to start the bottom of the first, Oliver doubled to left to drive in both runners. Huse then singled to drive in Oliver to make it 3-0. The Ponies continued to reach base with Huse eventually scoring on a passed ball to make it 4-0.

The Cowgirls tried to get back into the game with three straight singles to start the top of the second. Ella Morris was able to score on a sacrifice bunt to cut the score to 4-1. But the Ponies just kept it rolling at the plate in the bottom of the second. The Ponies first scored with a bases-loaded walk. Haney then scored on a fielder’s choice. With the bases still loaded, two straight walks, a hit batter and another fielder’s choice stretched the lead to 10-1.

The Cowgirls were unable to slow down Havre as the Ponies opened the bottom of the third with singles from Oliver and Huse. Oliver then scored on a fielder’s choice and Taylor Ball scored on an error to stretch the lead to 12-1.

Later in the inning, three straight hits from Danni Wirtzberger, Carlson and Haney stretched the lead to 16-1. In the bottom of the fourth, the Ponies scored three more runs to end the game early. Carlson and Haney each recorded three hits in the game and five separate Ponies drove in a pair of runs.

Huse pitched all four innings for Havre as she allowed one earned run on four hits. She recorded three walks to one strikeout. It had been a long road for Huse to get back on the mound as she missed her freshman year because of COVID-19 and she missed her sophomore year because of an injury. As she finally gets time on the mound, Vigliotti expects her to settle into her role as the team’s number two pitcher.

“She is strong and she’s just going to continue to get better and better,” Vigliotti said.

With a 2-0 start in the Northeast A to start the season, Vigliotti feels good about where they are early in the season. However, he knows if they want to have a successful season, they will need to build off these games and improve.

“We just want to continue to keep getting better,” Vigliotti said. “We hit the ball well, we played defense really well so overall, we just got to keep trying to get better every day at practice.”

The Ponies will need to improve quickly as they host Lewistown this Tuesday at home. The Eagles won the Northeast A last season and they were the only conference opponent to defeat Havre last season. With a tough test early in the year, Vigliotti looks forward to seeing how the Ponies play.

“It’s always fun to play against Fergus. They’re always prepared and they do a good job,” Vigliotti said. “It’ll be a challenge for us and we’re glad we get that first one at home.”

The Ponies will play Lewistown this Tuesday night at 5 p.m. at Sixth Avenue Memorial Field.

Havre 20, Miles City 2

Havre 4 1 4 11 X X X - 20 11 0

Miles City 1 0 1 0 X X X - 2 1 1

WP - Avery Carlson

LP - Ella Morris

Havre Batting - Avery Carlson 2-3, Lizzi Haney 2-5, Alyssa Oliver 2-3, Molly Huse 0-1, Hannah Gingery 2-3, Elle Verploegen 1-2, Keylee Kline 0-3, Camille Keeley 1-1, Danni Wirtzberger 1-2.

Havre 19, Miles City 1

Miles City 0 1 0 0 X X X - 1 4 3

Havre 4 6 6 3 X X X - 19 12 1

WP - Molly Huse

LP - Ella Morris

Havre Batting - Avery Carlson 3-4, Lizzi Haney 3-4, Alyssa Oliver 2-4, Molly Huse 2-2, Hannah Gingery 0-3, Elle Verploegen 0-1, Keylee Kline 1-2, Jersi Morse 0-1, Danni Wirtzberger 1-4.