Lady Bulldogs get three wins at Conrad tourney
Jonathan Greer/ Leader<br>Jennifer Gariepy makes a tag out at third base against Loyola at Tuesday's game.
The Mission Lady Bulldogs softball team put the brakes on their losing streak with three wins at the Conrad tourney last weekend, beating Sunburst, Simms and Poplar to get back on the right track.
They beat Sunburst 19-6, Simms 10-6 and Popular 9-4, but lost to Cut Bank at the tourney before falling to Loyola 11-1 Tuesday afternoon. Still, the wins have bolstered the team's spirit after having lost several games over the past few weeks.
On Tuesday, Ashley Mitchell took the mound, getting four strikeouts before turning the game over to Mattea Grant in the 7th inning. Grant recorded two strikeouts in the final inning.
The team started off strong, but couldn't keep up with Loyola, which was their fifth game in four days.
Kendra Coburn started off the bottom of the third inning with a nice hit to center field, then stole second. Mackenzie Foust then got a bunt base hit, moving Coburn to third. Coburn then stole home on the throw back to the pitcher for the team's only run of the game.
Grant made a nice catch in left field in the second inning, and catcher Erin Snyder threw out a runner trying to steal second before Mitchell got a strikeout to end the inning.
Mitchell added two more K's in the top of the fourth. Jennifer Gariepy was back after sitting out with a knee injury, and had a nice hit to right field in the bottom of the fourth before catching a line drive at shortstop in the fifth.
"I got my [medical] release last Wednesday. I'm glad to be back. I had a hard time sitting on the bench and watching everyone else play," Gariepy said.
Grant caught a hard hit to the outfield in the top of the sixth before Mitchell got her fourth strikeout to end the bottom of the sixth.
Head coach Steve Woll was happy with the team's improvement over the past week, and with the wins in Conrad.
"We're getting better and starting to make plays. Mitchell is making strikeouts. We're making progress with senior leadership," Woll said.
He noted several starters have been out sick, but that it gave other players the chance to get some playing time.
"They've all had playing time now, so we are working on fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. But we are competing and getting better," he said.
The team hosts Eureka on Saturday.