Lady Bulldogs bite back after first loss
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In the second week of the softball season, teams in the Western B-C learned not to make the Lady Bulldogs angry.
After being handed their first loss of the season Tuesday in a 5-2 error-filled defeat at the hands of rival Thompson Falls, the Lady Bulldogs responded by blowing out Drummond and Eureka in 10-run shortened games.
The Lady Bulldogs’ top of the order answered a 3-for-14 performance against the Lady Bluehawks by going 17-for-27 with 18 RBIs in Mission’s 17-1 drubbing of Drummond Thursday and 11-0 rout of Eureka Friday.
After giving up a season-high eight hits in her first loss of the season, Mission ace Kyla Olson only allowed three hits and struck out 13 in the Lady Bulldogs’ two victories. With the pair of wins, Olson improved to 4-1 on the season and in just five starts has proven that her arm is capable of taking the Lady Bulldogs back to the state tournament.
First-year Mission coach Susan Weaselhead was glad to see how her team handled their first loss of the season, a loss where five Lady Bulldog errors led to two unearned runs.
“They weren’t too disappointed. They picked themselves right back up,” Weaselhead said.
Tuesday was the first time in the young season, where the Lady Bulldogs' first four hitters of Bella Dally, Kinley Pope, Katie McDonald and Janeal McDonald didn’t dominate the opposing pitcher. Lady Bluehawk pitcher Kyla Molzohn did a good job of keeping them off balance for most of the game. Molzohn didn’t allow a hit until the Lady Bulldogs’ two-run sixth inning. She only allowed four hits total and struck out six to pick up the win.
“It took us awhile to get our bats going for some reason,” Weaselhead said. “I don’t know why. It was cold. I couldn’t put the name on it, but you’ve got to give Kyla (Molzohn) credit.”
Only three Lady Bulldogs had reached base and they were trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth, when shortstop Kinley Pope got their first hit, with a two-out double. All-state catcher Katie McDonald drove her in with a triple and then scored on a single by her sister Janeal McDonald. Dalena Weaselhead ended the threat by lining out to Molzohn.
Jasmine Gilleard led off the seventh with a single, but Molzohn retired the next three batters.
The Lady Bulldogs responded to the loss by crushing Lady Trojan pitcher Emilie Angelo for a dozen hits in a 17-1 five-inning victory. The Lady Bulldogs put the game away with a 12-run fourth inning, where eight Lady Bulldog batters came to the plate before they registered an out – Mission was only one batter short of going through the order twice in the inning.
Third baseman Janeal McDonald went 2-for-3 and led the Lady Bulldogs with four RBIs, with three of those runs coming home on a double in the fourth inning. Pope went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, Katie McDonald went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
It wasn’t only the top of the order doing the damage. Dalena Weaselhead went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and Serena Long drove in two runs.
After giving up a run in the first inning, Olson shutdown the Lady Trojans the rest of the way. She only allowed two hits and struck out five for the win.
The Lady Lions must have known they were in for a long day, when Dally started the game with a leadoff home run. The Lady Bulldogs added three more runs in the first and went on to win 11-0.
Olson only allowed one hit and struck out eight for her second shutout against Eureka this season. Olson was helped by two outstanding plays in the outfield. Arlee freshman Mahalia Hendren crashed into the fence to chase down a foul ball and Dally robbed Steph Vogelman of a double with a diving catch in center field.
Pope and Katie McDonald were perfect at the plate. Pope went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and Katie McDonald was 3-for-3 and also had a pair of RBIs.
The Lady Bulldogs host Troy Thursday and then travel to Missoula to take on reigning Western B-C champions Loyola Heartbreakers.
Summary
Thompson Falls 4, Mission 2
T. Falls 100 102 0–4 8 1
Mission 000 002 0–2 4 5
Kyla Molson and Karli Cavill. Kyla Olson and Katie McDonald. W - Molzohn (1-1). L - Olson (2-1).
THOMPSON FALLS - Cavill 2-4, Shelby Swant 2-3, Molzohn 1-4, Stephanie Larkin 1-4, Hannah Peters 1-3, Kelsey Fitchett 0-4, Makayla Becker 0-4, Monica Conlin 1-4, Jackie Pfister 0-3.
MISSION - Bella Dally 0-5, Kinley Pope 1-3, Katie McDonald 1-3, Janeal McDonald 1-3, Dalena Weaselhead 0-3, Jasmine Gilleard 1-3, Olson 0-2, Serena Long 0-2, Brianna Steele 0-2, Lauren Erickson 0-1.
Mission 17, Drummond 1
Drummond 100 00–1 2 3
Mission 212 (12)x–17 12 1
Emilie Angelo and Breanna Wright. Kyla Olson and Katie McDonald.
W - Olson (3-1). L - Angelo
DRUMMOND - B. Wright 0-2, Amanda Wight 0-2, Rhianna Pool 0-2, Angelo 1-2, Bridgette Oberweiser 1-2, Sarah Angelo 0-2, Ashley Mannix 0-2, Mikayla Chaffin 0-2, Brianna Jesse 0-2.
MISSION - Bella Dally 1-3, Kinley Pope 2-3, Katie McDonald 2-4, Janeal McDonald 2-3, Dalena Weaselhead 2-4, Jasmine Gilleard 0-3, Kyla Olson 2-3, Serena Long 1-4, Bryanna Steele 0-3.
Mission 11, Eureka 0
Eureka 000 000–0 1 7
Mission 420 23–11 12 2
Jacquelyn Lemer and Rosie Sieler, M Grove (2). Kyla Olson and Katie McDonald. W - Olson (4-1) L - Lemer.
EUREKA - Lemer 0-2, Mikayla Neuman 0-2, Sieler 0-2, Steph Vogelman 0-2, Cassidy Morgan 1-2, Grove 0-2, Brooke Willams 0-2, N. Gray 0-2, Alaina Peacock 0-1.
MISSION - Bella Dally 1-4, Kinley Pope 4-4, Katie McDonald 3-3, Janeal McDonald 2-3, Mahalia Hendren 1-3, Jasmine Gilleard 1-3, Olson 2-3, Serena Long 0-2, Bryanna Steele 0-2, Sara Nerby 0-1.
