Duel in the circle

The first time Glacier and Missoula Big Sky met it was a 12-9 shootout, but Thursday’s meeting was a pitchers duel.

Olivia Warriner threw five scoreless innings and Ava Grady added a pair and the Wolfpack held off the Eagles for a 1-0 victory at Glacier High School.

“They are both very important to this team; that is how we roll is in the circle,” Glacier coach Gary Evans said of his two pitchers. “Having them show what they showed today gives us a lot of confidence going into the second half.”

The lone run of the day for Glacier (10-3) came in the fifth as Sophia Frederick led off the frame with a single, followed by a Tensley Conner double — both on the first pitch they faced. Addy Cunningham then stepped in and sent a sacrifice fly out to Briella Wilson in right field, scoring Frederick.

Eagles (9-4) pitcher Peyton Walters then worked a groundout and flyout to make sure Conner was stranded at third.

Warriner allowed just one hit in her five innings of work — a fourth-inning double to Sara Bjornson, who was left on third after Warriner snagged a hard-hit line drive to end the frame.

“We had great defense today, a couple miscues, but nothing that cost us,” Evans said. “We haven’t been in a 1-0 game this year, we have scored a lot of runs. But this was a real softball game against a good team.”

Warriner faced a jam in the second after walking two batters, but she worked out of it thanks to another line drive grab that led to a double play at first.

Grady gave up a pair of hits in her two innings, striking out five.

She opened the seventh with a pair of punchouts before allowing Wilson to single to right. The rally was short-lived as Grady struck out Elise Regan to end the game.

“I just had to keep my composure and get to the next pitch,” Grady said.

Glacier swept the season series with Big Sky and now prepares to welcome Crosstown rival Flathead on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

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Peyton Walters and Hailey Nicoson. Olivia Warriner, Ava Grady (6) and Emma Smith.

MISSOULA BIG SKY — Hayden Weaver 1-3, Sara Bjornson 1-3, Emery Maxwell 0-0, Aubrey Bykari 0-2, Madison Norcross 0-1, Logan Latrielle 0-2, Hailey Nicoson 0-3, Peyton Walters 0-3, Briella Wilson 1-2, Kennidie Allen 0-0, Elise Regan 0-3.

GLACIER — Karley Allen 0-3, Olivia Warriner 1-3, Taelor Holt 1-2, Ava Grady 1-4, Emma Smith 0-33, Sophia Frederick 1-2, Tensley Conner 1-2, Addy Cunningham 0-1, Lanee Anderson 0-2.

2B — Bjornson. Conner. RBIs — Cunningham.

Glacier's Addy Cunningham (19) connects on a sacrifice fly that would score Sophia Frederick from third base in the fifth inning against Missoula Big Sky at Glacier High School on Thursday, April 30. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider