AA Softball: Bison finish third, look to future

KALISPELL – The Great Falls High softball team’s run at a state title came to an end here Saturday.

But the young Bison’s performance at the Class AA state tournament showed they will continue to be a force in the years to come.

GFH fell to Kalispell Glacier 4-2 in loser-out action at the Kidsports Facility, sending the Bison home with third-place hardware and just shy of the state title game.

Head coach Mike Coleman said he was very proud of the season his squad put together.

“It’s great,” Coleman said, “because you look at our roster and we average sophomores. A bunch of young, hard players and the seniors have played hard for four years and they were able to accomplish this. I know they wanted to win it all, but you can’t always win it all.

“For their age and everything, they played really well.”

While the Bison bats were much quieter against Glacier’s standout pitcher Ali Williams than in the previous tournament games, GFH hung tough in the face of elimination following the emotional walk-off loss to rival C.M. Russell High on Friday evening.

Starting pitcher sophomore Molly Schmitz struck out seven batters while allowing only five hits in a complete-game performance with the defense playing solidly behind her, while junior Tanaya Krenik blasted a pair of solo homers to provide the only Bison runs.

Krenik said while the loss hurt, the growth of the GFH squad over the year was great to see.

“I think it’s a great accomplishment,” Krenik said of the third-place finish. “To be able to make it this far, and we competed well and had some tight games. It’s nice to come home with some hardware for sure … We’ve come a really long way since the beginning of the year.”

The Bison stood toe-to-toe with the top two teams in the state at the tournament, getting outscored by only three runs (7-6 to eventual champion CMR on Friday, 4-2 Glacier) in their two losses.

“(The outlook) is great,” Coleman said of the future. “Our juniors are going to be tough, and our pitching is going to be great. It was great all year, especially with two sophomores (Schmitz and Erin Hocker). I’m really, really happy about next year and the girls should be really excited about it.”

The Wolfpack took the lead for good in the top of the first, with Williams helping her cause on an RBI double before a pinch runner crossed home on a wild pitch on the next at-bat to make it 2-0 after one.

A sac fly in the third and solo home run in the fourth by Glacier’s Christine Connolly and Emma Shew, respectively, made it 4-0 before Krenik kept the Bison alive in the fourth and sixth with the deep ball to bring the score within two.

Coleman said facing a tough pitcher such as Williams, a Carroll College commit who has thrown two perfect games this season, is always a tough task.

“I think some of it is confidence,” Coleman said. “You know, ‘oh it’s Ali Williams’. And she’s a good thrower and I understand that. Next year it’ll be good for us. I hope it makes even more hungry next year.”

The Bison started the tournament with a pair of exciting wins, topping Helena Capital in a 14-13 shootout to begin a three-game stretch on Saturday after being delayed Thursday due to inclement weather, before topping the Western AA’s top squad in Missoula Big Sky 5-4 late for the comeback win.

GFH graduates the three seniors in Marihelen Held, Jasmine Hill and Jaryun Han, all of whom Coleman praised after the game.

“Mari has been playing all four years for us,” he said. “She really turned into a heck of a hitter. Jasmine has been tough in the outfield and can run and bunt. She can really play. (Jaryun) came out three years ago and had never played before in her life and really, really improved and is a really good person to have around.

“They’re good role models, regardless of whether they’re out there on the field or not.”

Held said when it’s all said and done, she’s proud to have been a part of the program.

“We made a statement as a young team,” Held said. “We’re going to be tough for the next few years and I’m really excited for them.

“It’s been a blast all year and I can’t wait for the future for them.”

In addition to returning both pitchers in Schmitz and Hocker, who were both solid hitters as well, the Bison will bring back all season-long starters save Held, including Cayley Bushong, who led the state through the tournament play-in game in home runs (12) and RBIs (41) while also posting a .512 batting average, as well as the likes of starting catcher McKenzie Staats and centerfielder Sarah Conway.