Mission wins last two games before state

ST. IGNATIUS — The Mission softball team capped off a strong season with a sweep of Noxon winning the doubleheader 8-4, 11-6.

It was another pair for Katie McDonald to remember. In the first game, she had a double, a triple and three RBIs, but still didn’t put the bat down. She added a double, a home run and two more runs batted in during the night cap.

It’s safe to say the Noxon Red Devil pitcher won’t soon forget what Katie looks like swinging the bat.

“She’s hitting the ball real well. She’s peaking at the right time - at a good time,” Mission assistant coach Terri Biggs said.

Katie’s freshman sister Janeal McDonald didn’t have a bad weekend either. She knocked in a double and two RBIs in the first contest then went 3-5 in the evening match.

Usual pitcher Mattea Grant threw eight strikeouts in the first game, and added a couple hits. Kinley Pope added two more hits and an RBI to round out the leading bats.

The second game saw some new Bulldog faces in new spots on the field.

In her first career start pitching, sophomore Kyla Olson fanned nine and gave up three walks and five hits.

The Mission coaches are thinking ahead since Grant is set to graduate this year.

“She’ll definitely have to step up. She has some big shoes to fill but with a lot of practice she can be there,” Biggs said.

Biggs said Olson has the speed, and is confident she will learn to be accurate and consistent in due time.

But one start, one win - that’s the way to start a career.

Charlo junior Stephanie Maughan also stepped up in the day’s second battle.

Without Grant at the mound and some players in different spots, it took a big sixth inning for Mission to seal the deal by an even bigger margin than they had in the first match.

Now it is time to see what a team with a 14-4 record can do come state tournament time.

Mission’s first game is against the East’s No. 2 seed at 2 p.m. today.

Biggs said the team just needs to take each game one play at a time.

“We just need to get our bats going and see where it takes us,” she said.

Firing up the wood has not been a problem for the Bulldogs this season.

“We’re peaking at the right time. We always seem to come up big whether at the top of the lineup or the bottom. So we’re excited,” she said.

With plenty of bats and Grant’s arm, the team has a strong arsenal - and now they get to take aim on the league’s very best.