Lady Bulldogs falter against Loyola
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MISSOULA — The Lady Bulldogs couldn’t dig themselves out of an early hole they put themselves in and fell to Loyola Sacred Heart 7-2 in Missoula Saturday.
The Lady Bulldogs spotted the Heartbreakers four runs with three errors in the first inning and that was all that Loyola Sacred Heart ace Sarah Goodman would need. Goodman limited Mission to four hits and struck out nine to help Loyola remain in control of the Western B-C Division with a spotless 5-0 record.
“That first inning really did us in,” Mission coach Susan Weaselhead said. She said the defensive lapses in the first inning carried over to the offense, with her girls trying to do too much to make up for their mistakes.
“Instead of trying to hit the ball, they were trying to kill the ball. They were trying too hard, instead of just playing their game,” Weaselhead said.
Goodman did a good job in keeping the Lady Bulldogs off balance with her changeup, but the Lady Bulldogs’ silent bats were mostly their own doing, Weaselhead said.
“We just couldn’t get over the mental; we kind of broke down,” Weaselhead said.
Mission shortstop Kinley Pope accounted for two of the Lady Bulldogs’ four hits in the game. She got Mission on the scoreboard in the third inning with a RBI-double.
Kyla Olson gave up nine hits, struck out six and only issued one walk in her second loss of the season. Both of Olson’s losses came at the hands of the conference’s top teams and in both losses unearned runs were the difference. Mission errors led to two unearned in the Lady Bulldogs’ 4-2 loss to Thompson Falls.
Weaselhead said it’s encouraging to know that her team can play with the conference's elite teams.
“We’re there. If we practice on defense and tighten things up, we’re there. If we can do that, we can beat them the next time we play them,” Weaselhead said.
The middle and bottom of the Lady Bulldogs’ order came to life in a 5-1 win over a much-improved Troy team Thursday.
Batting at the bottom of the lineup, Sara Nerby got Mission on the scoreboard in a three-run third inning with a RBI single. Lady Bulldog second baseman Dalena Weaslhead, went 2-for-3 with a RBI in the fifth spot. Jasmine Gilleard, hitting in the sixth spot, went 2-for-2 with a RBI.
“(The middle of the batting order) really picked it up. I was really pleased with how well they played,” Weaselhead said, adding that their offensive production was needed with Mission’s top four hitters going a combined 1-for-12.
Olson only allowed two hits and struck out 13 to pick up her fifth win.
The Lady Bulldogs (5-2) will travel to Deer Lodge Saturday.
Summary
Mission 5, Troy 1
Troy 000 000 1–1 2 4
Mission 030 110 x–5 6 0
Jordan Williams and Kimmy Klin. Kyla Olson and Katie McDonald. W - Olson (5-1). L - Williams.
TROY - Alyssa Olds 0-3, Megan Cummins 0-3, Klin 1-2, Ashley Paasch 0-3, Dolly Blata 0-1, Michelle Pillans 0-2, Breanna Opland 0-1, Katie Miller 0-1, Holly Higgins 0-1, Rachel Geuther 0-2, Williams 1-2.
MISSION - Bella Dally 1-3, Kinley Pope 0-3, Katie McDonald 0-3, Janeal McDonald 0-3, Dalena Weaselhead 2-3, Jasmine Gilleard 2-2, Mahalia Hendren 0-1, Olson 0-1, Serena Long 0-2, Sara Nerby 1-1, Lauren Erickson 0-2.
Loyola Sacred Heart 7, Mission 2
Mission 001 010 0–2 4 3
Loyola 400 120 x–7 9 2
Kyla Olson and Katie McDonald. Sarah Goodman and Alex Hughes. W - Goodman (4-0). L - Olson (5-2).
MISSION - Bella Dally 0-4, Kinley Pope 2-3, Katie McDonald 0-3, Janeal McDonald 0-3, Dalena Weaselhead 1-3, Jasmine Gilleard 0-2, Olson 0-2, Serena Long 1-3, Sara Nerby 0-1, Mahalia Hendren 0-1.
LOYOLA - Goodman 3-4, Stevie Kahle 0-4, Andrea Hoffman 1-3, Hughes 0-3, Heather Snook 1-3, Colleen Miller 1-3, Sam Manley 1-3, Kari Tirrell 1-3.
