News you can use

Ponies finish up in Laurel

It has been non-stop for the Havre High softball team over the last couple of weeks, but nobody is complaining as the Blue Pony squad has shown a lot of growth and improvement late in the season.

Last weekend, the Central A Ponies went 3-1 in their four game, nonconference road trip. This weekend the Ponies will look to build off of that with four more nonconference games on the road. Friday and Saturday the Ponies will be in Laurel for the Laurel Invite. Sitting at 7-9 overall and 3-5 in the conference, the Ponies will face Miles City, Hardin, Billings Central and Sidney.

Billings Central and Sidney should present the Ponies with the biggest hurdles this weekend.

Both the Rams and Eagles house very talented squads, and are the top two teams in the Eastern A. The Eagles also house some of the top pitching talent the Ponies will see this year according to Havre High head coach Mike Thill.

"We will just have to take it one game at a time," Thill said. "I told the girls after we beat Whitefish (last weekend), that I would be happy with a 2-2 split. But if I was a player I wouldn't be happy and neither should they, especially if they are capable of four wins or going 3-1 like they did. But that is how we are going into this weekend, while also just trying to get ready for the post season if we make it. These last eight games (last weekend and this weekend) are real building blocks for us."

And the Ponies are going into the weekend with a lot of much-earned confidence.

The wins over Anaconda, Whitefish and Hamilton last weekend were huge for the program. They have struggled at time this season, but have shown consistent improvement as the season marched on. Now with another week of hard practices behind them, the Ponies have a shot at grabbing a few more impressive wins.

HHS is going to heavily rely on Rachel Majeres and Davee McLeod to pitch at the high level they have found themselves at while in the circle as of late. And the defense needs to pick up right where they left off, making the routine plays and not hurting themselves with errors. And for the bats, those were also hot last weekend, and will hopefully remain hot this weekend. Majeres, Morgan Mazurkiewicz, Michaela Boles, Paige Henderson and Harlee Boucher have led the offensive efforts in recent weeks. Clarissa Martin has also gotten in on the action, and even had a home run last weekend.

"Every game we play is a tough game," Thill said. "But if we play like we are capable, and it looks like we are building off the success we had last week, then they are also winnable games. We don't have to change a thing."

Friday and Saturday in Laurel, the Ponies will take on Miles City, Hardin, Billings Central and Sidney.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 
Rendered 02/23/2024 05:40