MAC hits Maidens hard
ST. IGNATIUS – The Ronan Maidens visited Mission last Tuesday looking to draw their season series even with Mission-Arlee-Charlo and spoil the Lady Bulldogs’ senior night and home game finale.
In April, behind a strong pitching performance by Loren Erickson and some spectacular Lady Bulldog defense, MAC took the first game of the rivalry 6-3. Tuesday’s game was much of the same result for Ronan, as the Maidens continued to struggle against their rivals in the regular season, losing 12-4.
“These girls have some kind of mental block when they play Mission,” said Ronan’s first year manager Brad Benson. “I can just see it, we play tense and tight.”
The Maidens certainly weren’t playing typical Ronan softball, committing five errors and even though Ronan compiled 12 hits – two more than MAC – they were only able to score four runs.
Ronan also struggled with keeping MAC players off the bases. The Lady Bulldogs’ 10 hits and the Maidens five errors consistently put Ronan pitchers under pressure. MAC erupted for five runs in the third and another six in the sixth to easily put the game out of reach.
On senior night, no seniors shined brighter than MAC’s Erickson and Emyli Gillingham. Erickson continued her steadiness in the circle, limiting the Maidens potent bats to just four runs, while Gillingham knocked in a game high four RBI. Lady Bulldog Catcher Alyssa Doty would end the day a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate, including a double and three RBI. Ronan’s Madison Barber went 4-for-4 including a pair of doubles.
On a night where MAC seniors were honored, it has been a Lady Bulldog freshman that has demanded attention. After being promoted from junior varsity, Morgan Malatare has been on fire. Last week, it was Malatare’s three-run home run that propelled the Lady Bulldogs to victory over Deer Lodge. In MAC’s four games last week, Malatare is 5-for-12 from the plate with 6 RBI.
The Lady Bulldogs would go on to win their next three games, beating Loyola 12-3, then easily sweeping a double-header against Eureka. In the Lady Bulldogs’ last four wins, they have outscored their opponents a combined 60-10.
Mission-Arlee-Charlo ends the season 12-4 in conference, 14-4 overall and earned the third seed in the district tournament played in Ronan this weekend.
The Maidens would respond nicely after their disappointing loss to MAC. After a 6-5 win over Deer Lodge during Ronan’s senior night, they piled up two more wins in their double-header against Troy on Saturday. Knowing that the talent is there, perhaps Benson and his Maidens biggest barrier is themselves.
“It’s what we’ve been working on all year – the psychological part of the game,” said Benson. “We have to start playing to win and not just playing. We’ll be all right. We have three days to work on our mentality [before the divisional tournament]. We started being vocal again on defense and not being so relaxed, that’s important.”
Despite the loss to MAC, the Maidens locked up the second seed, ahead of the Lady Bulldogs in this week’s divisional tournament.