The next level: HHS softball team ready for state

The qualifications for getting to the state tournament were a little tougher this season, but the Havre High softball program had little trouble meeting the requirements, earning the No. 2 seed out of the Central A. Today through Saturday, the No. 2 Blue Ponies (14-10, 7-3) will make the trip to the Stewart Park Softball Complex in Billings for the Class A state softball tournament.

And in game one of the tournament, the Ponies will open up against the Anaconda Copperheads at 10 a.m. on field one. The Copperheads are the No.

3 seed out of the Southwest.

"It's an honor for the girls to make it to the state tournament again," Havre High head coach Bob Evans said. "Especially this year, when they only took the top three teams instead of four. I think it's quite an accomplishment for our girls to get to a state tournament, I think they came out working hard right from the beginning of the season." Facing the Copperheads, the Ponies open up with a very winnable game.

The teams met during the regular season, and though HHS led the ballgame 5-1, it resulted in a 6-5 loss for the Ponies. The Ponies had one bad inning that basically gave away the contest.

But if they can play in a more consistent manner this weekend, it should be another close game, hopefully resulting in a Pony victory.

"We are pretty confident," Evans said. "They are a team that's comparable to us so we know if we go out and outplay them we should be able to win." But no team at the state tournament can be overlooked.

And with favorites like the No. 1 Billings Central Rams (East) and No. 1 Polson Pirates (Northwest) on the Ponies' side of the bracket, any road taken will be a tough one.

If the Ponies get past the Copperheads in game one they have a short turnaround today. At 2 p.m. the Ponies would have to face the Rams on field two.

"They are all tough," Evans said.

"There aren't any games that are going to be easy, it all comes down to if we play well. I am confident we can give everybody a good game or beat anybody, it just depends on how we come out to play or they come out to play. I haven't seen anybody we are afraid of, we know we can beat anybody or also get beat by anybody." For the Blue Ponies to come out and perform they have to play to their best of their abilities. And to do that, they have to get good offense, defense and pitching.

Abigail Ita and Tabitha Myers have handled the Pony pitching duties all season long. They have the ability to keep HHS in ball games, but have to earn strikeouts, avoid walks and make the opposing batters put the ball in play.

And getting teams to either ground out or fly out will keep the defense active, also crucial for the Ponies.

Defensively the Ponies have played well all season long. Like every team they have had their share of errors, but nothing so big it should raise concerns.

Holly Cartwright at third base, Kelli Kelsey at shortstop, Chelsea Nottingham at catcher and Dylann Williams at second base have played outstanding defense thus far, and with the improving play of Alex Herrig at first base, the Ponies infield is as talented as any team at the tournament.

Ciara Donovan and Andrea Nault also give the Ponies a solid outfield.

And, depending on who's pitching, Ita and Myers also add a solid center fielder to the Ponies solid, all-around defense.

Offensively, HHS has to play with some consistency. They have to get on base, score runs and in tight games, give their pitchers a cushion.

Cartwright, Nault, Myers and Kelsey have led the Pony bats at the top of the lineup, but it's going to take good at bats through the entire lineup to be successful. And, since the middle of the season, Williams' bat has really come alive, giving the Ponies a muchneeded boost in the bottom of the lineup.

"We have to swing at better pitches," Evans said. "We can't let ourselves swing at bad pitches and we have kind of done that sometimes during the season.

We just swing away at anything that they throw and it makes pitchers look better than they really are. We can't do that at the state tournament if we are going to win.

"The whole lineup has to get on the base," Evans added. "Whether by walk or by hit, we have to get on base so we can score." HHS has also acquired some depth that should come into play this weekend.

Freshmen Roxanna Jensen and Davee McLeod have bounced around both the junior varsity and varsity rosters this season. But just last weekend at the Ponies last regular season tournament of the year both Jensen and McLeod showed they could help the varsity team at the state level.

Both girls combined for a couple of base hits last weekend and were very poised. They showed they could handle the higher level of play, and, most importantly, give the Ponies the ability to now make any necessary changes they may need to make, something they didn't have the privilege of doing early on.

"I was pretty happy with what I saw from our freshmen," Evans said. "I haven't completely made up my mind yet, but I know they are going to get some playing time. Whether it be defense or pinch hitting, those two can plan on getting some playing time." If the Ponies can play as good as they know they are, they shouldn't have any problem finding a way to win this weekend.

They played a tough schedule this season and feel adequately prepared to face field with teams like Laurel, Livingston, Libby, Sidney, Corvallis, Whitefish and Frenchtown.

"We got a chance to basically play all the top teams in the East," Evans said. "And, of course, in our conference.

And we played some good teams out of the Southeast and the West. We know if we go down there (Billings) and play smart softball we have a chance to win some ballgames." HHS will attend the state Class A softball tournament that runs today through Saturday in Billings. The No. 2 Ponies open up their tournament berth facing Anaconda at 10 a.m. on field