Trotters split with Lions

These games played in mid-April could have seeding implications in May, when the Western B-C divisional softball tournament rolls around.

Coach Michele Bangen’s Plains-Hot Springs Trotters split a pair of important games with the Lions in Eureka Saturday, turning back the Lady Lions 5-3 in the opener and falling 6-5 in the second game.

The Trotters next scheduled games are neutral-field, non-conference affairs with Ennis and Manhattan Friday in Anaconda. The Trotters will host Sanders County rival Thompson Falls in Plains for a single Western B-C conference game next Tuesday.

P-HS won the first game in Eureka Saturday behind a strong pitching performance from freshman Celsey VonHeeder, who scattered five hits across the seven innings to pick up the important win for the Trotters.

Senior Kassidy Kinzie led the Trotter offense with two hits, including a double, and drove in a run. Izy Butcher and Sydney Jackson added two hits apiece, and Sage Jackson, Kenzie Angle and Madison Elliott one apiece. Elliott also had a run batted in.

The pitcher of record for Eureka, Avory Escobar lashed out two of the Lions’ hits and Katie Schmidt, Lily Wilbur and Reena Truman one each. Maya Carver had Eureka’s only run batted in in the game.

Eureka trailed 5-3 in the second game before rallying for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out the 6-5 victory.

Dakota Butcher homered and singled, driving in two runs, and Kinzie added two hits and drove in two more runs to lead the P-HS offense in that game.

Carvey lashed out four hits, including a double and a triple, and knocked in two runs to lead Eureka. Escobar, Haylie Hall and Ciara Miller added RBIs for the Lions.

Escobar picked up the pitching win, limiting the Trotters to only the four hits from Butcher and Kinzie.