Baseball: Vikings get past Wildcats in 9th; Libby, Polson win
BIGFORK — Bigfork’s Mason Lewis hit a game-tying two-run single in the ninth inning and the Vikings got the winning run on a two-out passed ball to beat Columbia Falls 7-6 in North A baseball action Saturday. It was a unique game: Lewis had the only Bigfork hit off a trio of Wildcat pitchers; the Vikings took advantage of 13 walks and one hit batter in their season opener. The rally came after the Wildcats pushed across two runs in the top of the ninth thanks to a walk to Nico Young, a single by Jett Pitts, Zeke Dunn’s squeeze bunt and a double steal.
In the bottom half Bigfork loaded the bases with one out by drawing three walks. Lewis tied the game with his single to center. Hayden Mayer advanced to third on the hit, stayed there when Max Schara reached on a dropped third strike and then came in on when another pitch got away.
Young’s RBI double in the fourth gave Columbia Falls a 3-2 lead; the Vikings got back in front thanks to five walks issued in the fifth inning by the Wildcats. Bigfork led 2-0 in the first inning when both Rye Rodriguez and Grady Campbell scored on Lewis’ bases-loaded, double-play grounder. Young threw the first 3 2-3 innings, fanning seven but also walking seven.
Dunn threw 4 1-3 innings, striking out nine while walking four. Pitts issued two walks and fanned two in the ninth. Lewis started on the mound for Bigfork and went four innings, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks.
Mayer allowed three hits and a walk in his five innings of relief. Polson 4, Eureka 0 POLSON — Cole Wadsworth and Cody Haggard combined on a two-hit shutout for Polson, and Liam Jackson keyed a 3-run fifth inning with a two-run single. Wadsworth threw 4 1-3 innings and Haggard got the final eight outs.