Havre High sweeps Cowgirls on Havre Invite weekend

As the Havre High Softball team continues to close out the remainder of the regular season, the Blue Ponies played three more important games over the weekend.

Playing two non-conference games and one conference game, the Central A Ponies got three more opportunities to improve, as well as a chance to face one of the top teams in the conference for the second time.

Havre's Tori Mazurkiewicz stikes a pitch during Saturday's Havre Softball Invite at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field. Mazurkiewicz and the Blue Ponies beat Conrad after falling to Lewistown Saturday morning.

On Thursday, the Ponies defeated the Class B Conrad Cowgirls 14-2 in Conrad. And on Saturday, the Ponies hosted the annual Havre Invite, where they defeated the Cowgirls 6-4, but lost to the conference rival Lewistown Golden Eagles 9-4 at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field in Havre. With the conference loss to the Eagles, the Ponies continue to strive for a top seed in the Central A as their conference record drops to 3-5.

The win over the Cowgirls on Saturday wasn't pretty, but it was a win. HHS Seniors Roxanna Jensen and Davee McLeod were also honored prior to the ballgame, and while both seniors were happy about the win, it was clear that the team needs to play better as the season's end draws closer and closer.

"I felt like we could have come out stronger," McLeod said. "We didn't come out and play hard like we usually do. We need to buck up and really get ready for divisionals instead of going out there and not playing with our hearts. But of course it is always good to get the win, you don't ever want to lose."

Blue Pony Morgan Mazurkiewicz looks to tag out a Conrad runner Saturday afternoon in Havre.

Conrad went up 1-0 in the top of the first inning, but the Ponies answered right back with one run in the first and one more in the second to hold a 2-1 lead. But after holding a 6-1 lead through five innings, the Cowgirls gave the Ponies a scare in the sixth. In the sixth inning, the Cowgirls scored three runs on three hits and one Havre error. Relief pitcher Tori Mazurkiewicz had to face seven batters before the Ponies could record the three outs and escape with a two-run win.

Rachel Majeres was the starting Havre Pitcher, and Majeres and Mazurkiewicz held the Cowgirls to seven hits. Majeres and Mazurkiewicz also combined for five strikeouts as Majeres recorded the win.

At the plate, the Ponies were led by Majeres who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, as well as Roxanna Jensen who was 2-for-4, and Dani Wagner who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Paige Henderson and Sydne Huston both went 1-for-3, while Morgan Mazurkiewicz was 1-for-3 with one RBI, and Harlee Boucher was 1-for-4 with one RBI as well.

"They gave us a better game today (Saturday) than they did on Thursday," Havre High head coach Danny Wirtzberger said. "They made some adjustments and we didn't, and that showed. I would have like much more out of the Conrad game than we got, and I am not sure we can say we are a better team after that win. After the Lewistown game we were. We won the game, but we kind of gave up at the end, and I would like to see us really push the gas in and really get the win. But Conrad looked real good today."

Lewistown showed why they are in the hunt for a Central A title, as they earned a sweep over the Ponies in regular season conference play. In the first meeting, the Eagles defeated the Ponies 14-4 in Lewistown, so the improvement did show, even in the loss.

Havre High's Rachel Majeres swings at a pitch during Saturday's Havre Invite game between the Blue Ponies and Lewistown at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field.

McLeod got the pitching start for the Ponies, but Tori Mazurkiewicz and Majeres were also used in relief against the very tough Lewistown batters. The Ponies gave up a combined four walks and 10 hits, while the defense also committed two errors. The Ponies simply gave the Eagles too many opportunities.

"Errors and walks are always going to score in softball," Wirtzberger said. "When we cut down those two things, we are going to be tough to beat. But it was better (than their first meeting), it shows that we have improved and where we have grown. Davee McLeod has done a lot of things with her pitching, and she really kept them guessing for the first couple of innings. Our pitching was much better this time, and we hit the ball a lot better than

we did the first time. We haven't quite turned the corner yet, but we will, and I can't wait to see Lewistown again at divisionals."

But the Eagles bats came alive after the first inning.

Havre's Sydne Huston fields a grounder during Saturday's Havre Invite game between the Ponies and Lewistown.

Lewistown led 1-0 early, but quickly tacked on three more runs in the second and three more runs in the third to take a 7-1 lead. The Ponies scored one run in the second inning on an RBI groundout by Tori Mazurkiewicz, scoring Henderson. The Eagles were limited to just one more run in the fourth and one more run in the seventh, but the Ponies couldn't quite do enough to surpass the Eagles.

In the fifth inning the Ponies earned three runs, trailing 8-4. They strung together four hits, including a leadoff double by Wagner to close the gap. Jensen had an RBI single, while Henderson and Majeres each had an RBI single as well. But even after a hot bottom of the fifth inning, the Ponies just couldn't close the gap enough to capture the conference victory.

HHS freshman Dani Wagner takes a swing against Lewistown Saturday at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field.

Boucher finished 1-for-4 at the plate, while Henderson was 2-for-4, Jensen was 2-for-4, Majeres was 2-for-4, Wagner was 2-for-4, and Morgan Mazurkiewicz was 1-for-3.

Some chances to limit the Eagle eluded the Ponies, and could have been complete game changers. Along with the two HHS errors, the Ponies also gave the Eagles too many outs. There were three opportunities where the Ponies dropped a fly ball in foul territory, each time resulting in an Eagles' hit or run to follow. But with those mistakes coming early in the game, senior Jensen stepped up to spark the Blue Pony defense. Jensen had an error early in the game, but showed off her speed and glove in the fourth inning. Jensen had a nice snag at shortstop as she turned and ran into left field, as well as another running catch in foul territory near the fence on the third base line.

"Our seniors need to take charge," Wirtzberger said. "And she did that after the third inning. She took it to heart that this is her infield. I was glad to see that, and her making those plays was great."

The Ponies also earned a win on Thursday in Conrad. Majeres earned the lopsided win for the Ponies in just five innings of play.

Boucher had a standout game, going 2-for-3 up to bat, as well as three RBIs. Morgan Mazurkiewicz also went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Henderson was 2-for-4 with an RBI of her own. Shania Carlson and Wagner each had one hit, while Jensen, Majeres, and Tori Mazurkiewicz were hitless, but still combined for four RBIs.

Friday and Saturday, the Ponies will play in their final tournament of the regular season, as they will travel to Butte for the Butte Central Invite.

THURSDAY

Havre 14, Conrad 2

Havre 611 51 – 14 9 X

Conrad 010 01 – 2 X X

WP – Rachel Majeres; LP – Morgan Fowler

Havre – Harlee Boucher 2-3 3RBI, Shania Carlson 1-1, Liz Facio 0-3, Paige Henderson 2-4 RBI, Sydne Huston 0-2, Roxanna Jensen 0-2 RBI, Rachel Majeres 0-2 RBI, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 2-4 2RBIs, Tori Mazurkiewicz 0-4 2RBIs, Dani Wagner 1-4.

Conrad – No Statistics Abailable

SATURDAY

Lewistown 9, Havre 4

Lewistown 133 100 1 – 9 10 0

Havre 010 003 00 – 4 10 2

WP – Cassie Miller; LP – Davee McLeod

Lewistown – Slyssa Yaeger 3-5 2RBI, Nadja Robertson 1-5 2RBI, Cassi Miller 0-4 RBI, Mary Birdwell 1-2, Maddie Comes 2-3, Teale Danell 1-3 RBI, Kailey Grover 0-2 RBI, Jessica Kindzerski 2-3 2RBI, Sydney Wier 0-3.

Havre – Harlee Boucher 1-4, Shania Carlson 0-2, Liz Facio 0-2, Paige Henderson 2-4, Roxanna Jensen 2-4, Rachel Majeres 2-4, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 1-3, Tori Mazurkiewicz 0-3, Davee McLeod 0-4, Dani Wagner 2-4.

Havre 6, Conrad 4

Conrad 100 03 – 4 7 X

Havre 114 00 – 6 10 X

WP – Rachel Majeres; LP – Kaylee Taule

Conrad – Michaela DeBoo 2-3, Rachel Bokma 0-3, Emily Harwood 0-2, Morgan Fowler 1-2, Kaylee Taule 0-3, Genessa Naylor 0-2, Jade Breding 1-3 2RBI, Gabby Drishinski 1-3, Krista Judsich 2-2.

Havre – Harlee Boucher 1-4, Paige Henderson 1-3, Sydne Huston 1-3, Roxanna Jensen 2-4, Rachel Majeres 2-3, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 1-3, Tori Mazurkiewicz 0-3, Davee McLeod 0-3, Dani Wagner 2-4.