Rangers upset Blue Ponies in Livingston

The Havre High softball team was hoping for one, maybe even two victories over Livingston Saturday. But, in the final two games of the Central A regular season, they were denied, succumbing to a Ranger's sweep.

In the first game of the doubleheader in Livingston Saturday, the Havre offense got just five runs out of 12 hits compared to the Rangers, who plated 10 runs on their 11 hits to notch a 10-5 win. The second game turned out to be a back-and-forth affair, with the lead changing multiple times.

Yet, after the Ponies scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, two of them on a two-out, two-run hit by Sammy Lovenguth to tie the game, Havre gave up two runs to the Rangers in the top of the eighth inning and were unable to score any runs in the bottom half of the inning, despite loading the bases with just one out.

Following their loss in the first game, Havre scored three runs in the first and second innings of game two, before Livingston was able to answer and even things up at 6-6 with Sam Oliver pitching. The Rangers got two runs in the third on a home run, before tying things up with two more runs on an extra-base hit in the fourth.

While the Rangers tied the game thanks to some big hits, Havre’s big bat, Kinzee Peterson, answered with a shot of her own as she blasted a home run, which put HHS in front 8-6 heading into the seventh. Trying to lock down the win, Havre couldn’t close out the Rangers, who scored five runs to turn a two-run deficit into a three-run lead. The Ponies rallied to tie the game but came up short when a double play ended their rally in the bottom eight, with Livingston in front 13-11 and the bases juiced.

“We just can’t find a way to put it all together, pitching, hitting and defense,” HHS head coach Tony Vigliotti said. “We have to find a way to do that more consistently, and it’s my job to find out a way for us to do that.”

For the second game, Havre finished with double-digit hits, getting 12, led by Janae Boles, Sydney Wilting, Lauren Kato and Peyton Brown, who each had two. Oliver, Lovenguth and Melia Olson all added hits, as did Peterson, who notched a home run and finished with two RBIs along with Oliver and Kato. Lovenguth also contributed with an RBI. Kato, Oliver and Olson all managed doubles, giving Havre four extra-base hits.

On the mound, Oliver was hit with the loss after allowing 15 hits and 13 runs. She did finish with seven strikeouts and also managed to score four runs.

Even though the two-game set ended up going the way of Livingston, the Ponies couldn’t have drawn up a better start, as in the top of the first inning, Peterson hit a two-run shot, which gave Havre a 2-0 lead. Yet, Livingston notched a homer of its own in the bottom half of the first and scored four runs, going up 4-2. The exchange of long balls continued in the top of the second, as Katelyn Maloughney, a junior, hit her first career home run, trimming the Livingston lead down to 4-3. The Rangers eventually built a 5-3 lead but in the top fourth, Boles tied up the game after a two-run single that scored Lovenguth and Jera Verploegen, evening the score up at 5-5.

But, for Havre the game wouldn't remain tied for long. The Rangers scored four runs in the bottom half of the inning, then added another in the fifth and sixth innings to help ice the win.

The Ponies actually managed more hits than Livingston, 12-11, with Boles getting three to lead the way for HHS along with two RBIs. Peterson, Kato and Lovenguth all added two hits each, while Wilting, Verploegen and Maloughney all had one. Kato got the loss for Havre on the bump after giving up 10 runs, eight of them earned in six innings. She did wind up with six strikeouts and walked just two.

Havre (4-9, 1-5) is now guaranteed to finish last in the Central A conference and will get the No. 4 seed heading into divisionals. The Ponies will look to rebound tonight against Glasgow. The two teams are set to meet at the Sixth Avenue Field at 5.

Livingston 10, Havre 5

Havre 210 200 0 - 5 12 2

Livingston 401 410 x - 10 11 0

WP - S. Ingram

LP - Lauren Kato

Havre - Janae Boles 3-4, Sydney Wilting 1-4, Sam Oliver 0-4, Kinzee Peterson 2-4, Lauren Kato 2-4, Katelyn Maloughney 1-3, Sam Lovenguth 2-3, Jera Verploegen 1-3, Peyton Brown 0-3, Melia Olson 0-0.

Livingston 13, Havre 11

Livingston 022 200 52 - 13 15 1

Havre 330 200 30 - 11 12 2

WP - S. Ingram

LP - Sam Oliver

Havre - Janae Boles 2-6, Sydney Wilting 2-4, Sam Oliver 1-3, Kinzee Peterson 1-2, Lauren Kato 2-4, Sam Lovenuth 1-5, Katelyn Maloughney 0-5, Melia Olson 1-4, Peyton Brown 2-3.