HAVRE — The Lewistown softball team claimed a Northeastern A title on Wednesday, topping rival Havre 12-1 in six innings.
The Eagles and Blue Ponies split the regular-season series, with Havre earning a 4-3 win earlier this month. But Lewistown left no doubt in the rubber match, jumping on top 8-0 before Havre could get on the board and icing the game with four runs in the sixth inning to trigger the 10-run mercy rule.
Jessica Morgan earned the win on the mound for Lewistown (17-5), allowing just three hits and striking out six. Morgan also performed well at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored.
Eliazar Southard and Hailey Welsh each added home runs in the game and finished with three RBI apiece.
Lewistown recorded 17 hits in an offensive showcase. Havre managed one run in the bottom of the fifth when Avery Carlson drove in Quinn McDonald who was on third with a leadoff triple.
But Morgan kept the Havre bats quiet the rest of the way, delivering Lewistown a divisional title and the No. 1 seed at the State A tournament which begins next Thursday in Butte.
Havre will be the No. 2 seed, while Glendive will be the No. 3 seed.
“Since we didn’t have out season last year, it was always iffy. We didn’t know how everything was going to turn out," Morgan said. "But we’ve done super great. I’m so proud of my team this year. We came out first in our conference, and then we just crushed divisionals. So that’s awesome.”
