Allison Eliason

The Lady Dragon softball team proudly boasts of another undefeated season as they played out their final games of the regular season.  In addition to conference games against Soda Springs and West Side, the Malad team also faced the 4A Sky View Bobcats of Smithfield, Utah.  The variety of games gave the team some tough competition as well as some fun opportunities to shuffle around the field positions.  

The MHS softball team opened their week of games against the Sky View Bobcats on Tuesday, April 30.  This game had been purposefully scheduled late in the season, knowing full well that the Bobcats would be a very tough team to beat.  But competing at that level is exactly what they were looking for in preparation for the post season games they are sure to face.

Sky View did not disappoint as they brought a strong hitting game, pitching and field play.  Through the seven inning game it may have been unclear who would come out on top,but there was one thing that was clear- whichever team won would have wholeheartedly earned that victory.

The Bobcats came out swinging in the top of the first inning, hitting a double on their first at bat and single fly ball on their second.  On the third play of the game, Sky View put up a sacrifice bunt to score the first run of the game.  Their strategic play and skilled hitting early in the game proved that the Lady Dragons had a true challenge on their hands.

After the first run, the Malad defense made quick work to shut down the Bobcats scoring opportunities.  Pitcher Liddia Gonzalez struck out her next batter with a 1-3 count with Brylee Oglesbee catching a pop fly for the final out of the inning, leaving a single runner left on base for the Bobcats.

Despite good contact with the ball at the plate, the Lady Dragons didn’t manage any base hits as they played through the bottom of the first inning.  Coming in behind the ball at first plate, a strikeout, and caught fly ball to center field quickly put an end to Malad’s first offensive play.

Back on defense the Lady Dragons didn’t give the Bobcats the satisfaction of a single base hit.  Freshman Gonzalez struck out her first opponents at the plate with Hallie Horsley forcing the final out at first with the assist from Oglesbee.

While they managed players on base in the second inning, the Lady Dragons still couldn’t get a run on the board.  Bostyn Combs singled to center field before Kaitlyn Pickett was walked on base behind her.  Unfortunately, the two runners were left on base as Malad collected their third out and the score remained, 0-1.

Sky View found some traction in the third inning as they put up another to extend their lead 0-2.  With a runner on second base, the Bobcats hit a single to center field.  Combs quickly scooped up the ball and sent it to Maroney but not before the runner slid in across home plate.  Recognizing that the ball was still live and the runner on second casually off base, threw the ball to Oglesbee to tag her out.  Adley Kimberling finished off the inning as she caught the pop fly to left field for the third out.

Bolstered by the great defensive work, the Lady Dragons found their hitting in groove as they started into the third inning.  Aubrey Shulz first got on base as she hit a ground ball to left field and advanced on to second base on a Bobcat error.  Riglee Peterson followed with a triple bagger, sliding into third base ahead of the ball and sending in Shulz for the first Lady Dragon score.  Hallie Horsley followed with another triple fly ball to right field, batting in courtesy runner Hadley Summers.  Horsley made her way home as Combs hit a ground ball to the gap between Bobcat third baseman and shortstop.  Struggling to pick up the ball, Sky View’s error gave just enough time for Combs to get on base and Horsley to score Malad’s third run to take the lead.  A picked up pop fly ended the third inning, 3-2.

Both teams went scoreless over the next two innings in what was easily a defense dominated game.  The Bobcat pitcher threw a tough fastball that the Lady Dragons struggled to hit on while Malad’s defense made the play on every hit.  

Sky View managed to tie the score in the top of the sixth inning.  The score remained tied as Malad failed to score in the bottom of the inning.  Undeterred, the Lady Dragon defense tightened up their play to put three outs in as many batters to hold the Bobcats in their final inning.

As the team stepped up to bat, Head Coach Bri Adams said, “This is a great place to be.  Let’s go put up some runs!”  something they were sure to do with ease.  Maroney patiently waited for her pitch, only to be walked on base, giving Malad the runner they needed to put up a game winning score.

Shulz settled in at the plate as Coach Adams called for a bunt hit to help advance Maroney around the bases.  Sending it just a few feet up the baseline to third, Shulz ran to first base, coming in behind the ball.  After hitting second base, Coach Adams signaled Maroney to advance to third.  But the Bobcats were quick to see the play and tagged Maroney out before she slid on base.

With no runners now on base and two outs, the ease they were feeling just minutes before was quickly replaced by the tension of a possible out and extra innings.  With nothing to lose, Peterson stepped up to the plate.  Swinging on the first pitch, the umpire called a strike after the ball hit the glove.  A little more patient, Peterson held her swing on the second and third pitch as it went outside the strike zone.  Swinging again on the next pitch, the count was suddenly at 2-2.  

Seemingly unphased by the pressure of the moment, Peterson settled in behind the plate ready for another pitch.  Connecting with the ball, she launched the hit across the fence at center field to put up a final home run to win the game.

Following their exciting win over the talented Sky View team, Malad also collected wins as they traveled to Soda Springs and hosted West Side in their final games of the season.  The Lady Dragons celebrated their senior players, Horsley, Kimberling and Pickett Friday, at their last home game on May 3.  For the players, their families, coaches and fans, it was hard to believe that after so many years of contributing to Malad Softball, their time was finally coming to an end.

As the high seed of the 2A district 5 tournament, the Lady Dragons will host the upcoming tournament games.  Their first matchup will be against #4 seed West Side on Wednesday, May 8 at 3:30 pm.