Ronan's solo act

RONAN — Ronan’s softball team has been playing a melody seldom heard in sports: the Maidens have been nearly unbeatable following a mid-season coaching change.

Finishing the regular season with a 12-1 mark after the April 15 resignation of former head coach Brad Benson, the Maidens seem to have found a tune that works.

And like any good orchestra, Ronan has a pretty good soloist.

Alaina Madsen has thrown every pitch for the Maidens this season. The senior, who has four shutouts under her belt in 2014, said the winning formula has been pretty simple.

“It’s the country music,” Madsen said, referring to the Nashville-themed playlist interim coach Dakota Peterson has made the soundtrack for the Maidens’ practices.

The rest of the Maidens seem to be tapping their feet to it as well.

“We’re all hooked,” catcher Kaitlyn Sassaman said.

But the real reason for Ronan’s crescendo to its 15-4 record is the team’s attitude.

“It’s all positive now,” Peterson said. “And I’m not saying it was negative before. Something fits right right now. … We’re just meshing.”

Surely a lot of that stems from the unflappable nature of their leader in the circle, who really is the varsity squad’s only option at pitcher.

“It’s definitely made me stronger mentally,” Madsen said. “I know that I have to get it done.”

But the three-sport athlete was ready for the challenge this season. She knew she would be the Maidens’ only pitcher after their other option, Samantha Colman, moved to North Dakota after last season.

“I knew going into the season that it would just be me, so I had to mentally prepare myself,” Madsen said.

A prep softball team carrying just one pitcher isn’t unheard of — graduated Polson all-stater Shalaina Duford tossed nearly every Pirates inning for four years — but Ronan’s schedule is nearly entirely twin-bills.

“Our only games that haven’t been doubleheaders were Mission and Deer Lodge [and Columbia Falls],” Peterson said.

That kind of wear and tear can make or break a pitcher’s arm.

“My right arm is way stronger than my left arm,” Madsen said, joking that she could flex her biceps to show the difference. “… I’ve definitely gotten a lot stronger.”

Sassaman, who has what most would agree as the hardest job on any softball team, said she respects her battery mate’s tenacity.

“It’s hard. I couldn’t do it,” Sassaman said.

“She’s just saying that, though, because she works harder than I do,” Madsen quickly rebutted.

Madsen’s endurance may be the key to the Maidens reaching the Class B-C state championship again, which they lost in 2013 to division rival Florence.

“When you get to state, you never know how many games you’re going to play,” Peterson said, noting that Madsen’s experience pitching doubleheaders will come in handy.

The senior, who will study at Eastern Washington next year, has an even mixture of excitement and reluctance to face tournament time.

“I know I can handle it, but I’m a little nervous because … a lot of it’s on me,” she said.

Madsen’s biggest improvement through the season has been the development of her offspeed pitches. In fact, she’s mastered them so well by this point in the year that she rarely throws her fastball.

“We really just rely on the drop, curve and screwball,” Peterson said.

Madsen said the junk she throws has helped her develop even better arm strength.

“It’s putting all your force one direction or all your force the other,” she said of the curveball and screwball combination.

You can chalk that up to just another instrument the Maidens’ lone hurler has mastered.