With clear blue skies, a hint of a breeze and warm sunshine, the Lady Dragon softball team took to the field for the first game of the 2024 as they hosted the Snake River Panthers.  Despite feeling nervous and anxious for their first showing of the season, the MHS team came out not just swinging, but hitting in a fearsome way.

The first inning opened with Snake River at bat, struggling to get on base as their first two hitters struck out at the plate.  The next three hitters found better luck, getting on base and putting up two runs for the Panthers.  But the Lady Dragons shut down any moment they might have had as they caught the Snake River runner attempting to steal second.  Catcher Logan Maroney sailed the ball from behind the plate to Aubrey Shulz for the tag out to end the first inning.

Slap hitter Hadley Summers was first to get on base for the Lady Dragons as they went up to bat in the bottom of the first.  Riglee Peterson followed with an impressive triple, batting Summers in for their first run on the scoreboard.  Kaitlyn Pickett followed with a strong line drive, rounding first base for a double as Peterson ran across home plate to tie the score up at 2 runs.  

Malad was only warming up as they put across four more runs by Pickett, Adley Kimberling, Maroney, and Schulz.  Head Coach Bri Adams commented on the stellar hitting of her team saying, “They came out swinging and Snake River couldn’t stop them.  They exceeded my expectations for their first game of the season.  But I really  shouldn’t be surprised, every year they come out strong!”

Feeling the energy from the high scoring inning, the Lady Dragons were all business as they took to the field, forcing three outs on three hitters.  Summers claimed the first out from right field as she called the ball as easily caught the pop fly.  Peterson and Pickett were responsible for the second out as Peterson snatched the grounder near the pitcher’s mound and sent it to Pickett at first base ahead of the runner for the out.  The final out came as Pickett snagged a pop fly just ahead of the first base.

The MHS team continued to pull ahead on the scoreboard as they batted through the bottom of the second inning.  The pinnacle moment of the inning came as senior Kimberling stepped up to the plate.  The hitter swung at the first pitch, only to hear it hit the catcher’s glove and the umpire call strike.  With a keen eye, she held off swinging on the next two pitches, putting the count at 1-2.  Seeing her pitch finally coming down the pipe, Kimberling swung for the fences, hitting the first homerun of the season, an even sweeter feat as it was her 18th birthday.  

The home run batted in Liddia Gonzalez, courtesy runner for Peterson, and Pickett, putting them up 9-2.  Unfortunately, Snake River managed two outs to end the MHS scoring and the second inning.

The Lady Dragon defense once again made it difficult for the Panthers both at bat and on base.  Hallie Horsely, now at first base, was responsible for the three outs of the inning, but not before Snake River added one run to their tally to make the score 9-3.

With a little luck and a lot of skill, Oglesbee singled on a fly ball that managed to just barely tip over the glove of the second baseman set to catch it.  Seeing the error, Oglesbee hustled on, making it to second base.  After the second pitch with the count 1-1, Oglesbee took off from second base, catching the Snake River defense off guard to steal third base.  On the next pitch Bostyn Combs put up what looked like a sacrifice hit to the first baseman.  Going all out, she ran across the base as the ball fell out of the Panther glove, making her safe on base.  With the error at first, Oglesbee ran in for the only MHS run of the inning.

Gonzalez came in as relief pitcher in the 4th inning, a no less difficult hurler to try and hit on.  With a full count, Gonzalez walked her first batter up, the only one of the final innings.  Unphased, she focused on the next at bat throwing a strike on the pitch.  After the second pitch, the gambling runner on first headed to second base for the steal but found herself easily thwarted as Maroney made the connection to Shulz for the tagout.  Gonzalez finished off the third Panther batter, striking her out with a full count.

The Lady Dragons made a big push in the bottom of the fourth with the scoring led by Pickett.  After getting walked on base, she made her way around to third as Maroney hit a double deep to center field.  Schulz next to bat, laid a short bunt towards third as the baseman idly remained at her base.  Seeing the opportunity at hand, Pickett raced for home plate, sliding in before Snake River could even scoop up the ball rolling down the baseline.

Maroney put up a run on the next play as Oglesbee hit a sacrifice fly to center field.  Tagging up before the catch was made, Maroney made the dash across home for the score while Shulz advanced to second.  Horsley brought Shulz in on a hard grounder to the outfield, perfectly placed between the Snake River fielding team.  Horsley put up the final run of the inning after Combs hit a fly ball to right field, dropping before the defense could make the catch.  

With the third out coming on the next play, the Lady Dragons traded their bats for mitts to move into the fifth inning.  Putting up a no hitter in the top of the inning would end the game for Malad, a task they easily executed.  Horsley snagged the first, hopping over first base to catch the Panther pop fly.  Gonzalez struck out the second hitter for the second out of the inning.  Coming to bat from the opposite side of the plate, the Panther’s put one last hit on the ball to end the inning- a line hit to Peterson at third that merely required the infielder to reach out to the side for the catch.

The strong win was just what the Lady Dragons needed to start their season off in the right direction.  From hitting to pitching to fielding to baserunning, the Malad softball team demonstrated they are ready to roll with their 2024 season.  Admitting that there were a few errors here and there and a few kinks to work out, Coach Adams and her staff were proud of the great showing the team had.  “Snake River is a good team, better than we expected.  But they couldn't shut down our hitters or our runners.  Our girls know how to read the defense and take advantage of their mistakes.”

The Lady Dragons play again after they return from spring break, hosting the Marsh Valley Eagles on Tuesday, April 2.