If there is anything the Lady Dragon softball team has proven recently it is that there is no quit in them.  Playing three tough matchups in the last week, each of them saw moments where the MHS team could have folded but instead stood up to the pressure to claim the victory in the end.  Earning wins against Marsh Valley, Declo, and Bear Lake demonstrated that they not only have the skill to play, but the heart to play big.

Sliding into home plate, Aubrey Shulz gambled and won to earn a run for the Lady Dragons.

Malad hosted the Marsh Valley Eagles Tuesday, March 17 in their second game of the season.  At bat first, the Eagles landed two runs on the board to start the scoring early in the game.  The MHS team responded with two runs of their own, Logan Maroney batting in Liddia Gonzalez before Aubrey Shulz took advantage of a wild pitch to run in a second score for the inning.

Marsh Valley briefly regained the lead in the second, until the Lady Dragons countered as Sarah Toone delivered a clutch two-run triple to give Malad their first lead of the game at 4-3.

But it was the fourth inning that proved to be the difference. Sparking a rally, Karlee Blaisdell hit a double to left field.  Gonzalez followed with a single fly ball to center before Toone was walked on base.  Distracting the defense, Toone stole second base, giving Gonzalez the chance to run across home plate.  Runs continued to tally up on a wild pitch, and RBI hits from Kialey Pickett, Kendra Rupp, and Stella Merja, as Malad exploded for five runs to extend the lead to 9-3.  The Lady Dragons continued to add to the scoreboard in the final innings of the game. Toone drove in another run, with Maci Arnout adding an RBI single following Merja’s triple to cap the scoring.

Defensively, Toone dominated in the circle settling in to overpower the Marsh Valley hitters.  Toone finished the game with a 13-strikeout performance, shutting down any comeback attempts. 

Junior Kialey Pickett at first base making the play.

That same no quit energy, grit and resilience led the Lady Dragons to another win Thursday as they erupted late to defeat Declo 14-8 in a game full of momentum swings.

Both teams came out strong in the circle early. Gonzalez was dominant to start for the MHS team, striking out the Hornets in the first inning while also setting the tone with her speed and control.  But Declo managed to break through the MHS defense in the second inning, capitalizing on a pair of mistakes before a two-run double gave them a 2-0 lead.

The Lady Dragons responded in the top of the third, Maddox managing a base hit before Gonzalez followed with a clutch RBI triple to cut the deficit in half and swing the momentum in their favor. That energy carried into the fourth inning where they tallied a string of quality at-bats including RBI singles from Maroney, Blaisdell, and Maddox, along with a bases-loaded walk from Pickett.

In the fifth inning, Declo strung together multiple hits and took advantage of opportunities to plate six runs, flipping the game and jumping ahead 8-5.

Facing a late deficit, Malad didn’t panic.  Instead Gonzalez and Merja, next at bat, came through with back-to-back RBI hits to cut the lead to one, shifting momentum back toward the Lady Dragons.

The MHS team played a flawless defensive half inning to force three outs on three batters to hold Declo scoreless in the bottom of the sixth.  Into the seventh inning, Malad exploded offensively, putting together its most complete inning of the game. The rally started with patience at the plate and aggressive baserunning, leading to a game-tying run on a bases-loaded walk. 

Maddox delivered a key RBI single, followed by run scoring hits from Gonzalez and Merja to break the game open. Malad capitalized on defensive pressure and continued to add on, scoring seven runs in the inning to take full control at 14-8.

Gonzalez closed the door in the bottom half, finishing the game with a dominant performance in the circle, highlighted by a string of strikeouts to secure the win.

In their final game of the week, the MHS team hosted the Bear Lake Bears.  Bear Lake struck first in the opening inning, using a triple to take an early 1-0 lead. But Malad answered immediately in the bottom half. With runners on base, Toone delivered a clutch two-run single, giving the Lady Dragons a 2-1 advantage after one.

The MHS defense held the Bears scoreless through the fourth inning while they extended their lead by one, Gonzalez hitting a home run.  Bear Lake cut the lead back again to one after scoring in the top of the fifth before a scoreless inning for both teams in the sixth.

On the second at bat of the inning, Bear Lake managed a hit across the fence to put them up 4-3.  With no outs yet it was looking like the Bears might pull away.  Instead of giving in, the Lady Dragons went to work.  Gonzalez pitched three strikes for the first put out.  After the next batter managed a base hit, Maddox caught the pop fly at third for the second out.  With a keen eye behind the plate, catcher Maroney sailed the ball to Shulz after the pitch to catch the Bear Lake runner attempting to steal second for the third and final out.

Shortstop Aubrey Shulz making catching the pop fly against Marsh Valley.

Stopping the Bear’s offensive run, it was then time to overcome the deficit on the scoreboard.  Up to bat first, Toone took the pitch on the sleeve. But then two outs put the Lady Dragons in a tough situation.  Holding under the pressure, Kyndall Tanner singled on a hard ground ball.  With runners on first and second, Gonzalez battled at the plate, eventually reaching on a dropped third strike- a feat made possible because of her composure and attention to the game.  While all eyes were on first base, Toone ran in to score the tying run.

Tanner on third and Gonzalez making her way to second, Merja delivered a double to center field that scored two runs and sealed the 6-4 walk-off victory.

Celebrating the week of wins, Coach Aysha Maddox commented, “The Declo and Bear Lake games both came down to the 7th inning.  My heart was pounding but that’s what makes a great game!  These girls are amazing! 

“In both games we were down going into the 7th inning and both times they went in confident and never gave up.  We’ve talked a lot this year about the mental side of the game- how you can’t give up and no matter what has happened previously, you have to be able to move past it quickly because the game isn’t waiting.”

She continued, sharing highlights of the week as she said, “These girls are proving they have no quit and that’s something that is hard to teach.  It has to come from the girls!”