The Lady Dragon softball team is at it again, playing big games and taking names.  After waiting six weeks to take the field for their first game, the MHS softball team is on a winning streak that they plan to keep rolling all season long.  They started the 2023 season with three home games against Marsh Valley, Logan High School and district rival, West Side.

Marsh Valley came into town ready and excited to play as it was their first game of the season as well.  Their quick pitch provided a challenge for the Lady Dragon batters but it wasn’t enough to keep them from dominating the game.  Sophomore Riglee Peterson began the scoring for Malad after hitting a double, stealing third base, and then running across home plate after teammate Gracie Goddard hit a sly bunt, allowing Peterson and Kaitlyn Pickett to score.  Goddard added another run as Bostyn Combs hit a double, line drive to center field.  Combs worked her way around the bases to add a final run in the first inning.  Combs stole third base on a passed ball and then stole home as Addley Kimberling attempted to steal second, ending the inning, 4-0.

The Lady Dragons didn’t score again until the fourth inning when Aubrey Shultz hit a triple to right field, batting in Kimberling on third.  Goddard added the sixth and final run for Malad in the bottom of the fifth inning.

First baseman, Hallie Horsley, led the team with putouts with 10 with Pickett adding another 9 from behind the plate.  Peterson took to the mound for the Lady Dragons, pitching seven innings, allowing 4 runs and striking out 9 batters on 28 at bats and 91 pitches for the game.

Malad turned around to host Logan High School the following afternoon, quickly learning from the few mistakes in their previous game to take their errors to zero.  They again took a quick lead, grabbing three runs in the first inning.  Pickett found her way on base after Logan’s pitcher threw four balls.  On the next play, Goddard sacrificed an out as she bunted on the first pitch, allowing Pickett to make her way around to third base.  As Combs was up to bat, Pickett stole home on a wild pitch to put the first run on the scoreboard for the Lady Dragons.  On the following two plays, Combs and Horsley ran the bases to add another two runs before the inning was over.

The defense was totally instep as they covered the field, only allowing two runs in the entire game.  Regardless of where the hit lands, the MHS softball team is there ready to make the play.  Horsley and Pickett again led in putouts, each with 7.  Peterson split time on the mound with Kaysha Beck, each allowing a single run, Peterson striking out 5 and Beck another 2.

Monday, April 10, the Lady Dragons made a statement as they shut out rival team, West Side, in their first conference game of the season.  In six innings, the team managed eleven runs, scoring in each inning except the second.  Pickett shined with not one, but two home runs, the first of the season.  With her home runs, Pickett was able to bat in another 6 runs, leading the team in RBIs for the game.  In total, the team had 15 hits, with Pickett, Combs, Peterson, Schulz and Horsley managing multiple hits.  

Peterson went six innings from the mound for the Lady Dragons.  On 60 throws, the pitcher had 54 strikes, allowed zero runs on a single hit while striking out 10 batters and committing no errors.

Following the games, Head Coach Christie Schow had nothing but praise for her team.  She commented that it seemed like such a long time coming before they could finally take the field, but once they got there, they could see all their pre-season hard work paying off.  She said, “I am so proud of them and how they are playing.  They are making those adjustments where there were errors and really tightening things up.”  The coach raved about her team and the talent there- Peterson’s solid pitching, catcher Pickett calling every pitch of the games, how well the infield covers the bases, the great base running, and the calculated, yet powerful hitting.  With such a great start to the game schedule, its sure to be a promising season for the Lady Dragon softball team.