Maidens open with win at Stevi

The Ronan Maidens softball team opened their 2022 campaign with a 15-9 victory on the road at Stevensville on Saturday. It was the season opener for both teams.

The Maidens (1-0) scored seven runs in the first inning en route to the win.

Kiara Sherman started on the mound for Ronan and allowed six runs over four innings to earn the win. Tyariah Morigeau pitched the final three innings to earn the save.

The Maidens benefited from nine free trips to first base, either by a walk or by a hit batter.

Haylie Webster went 2 for 2 from the plate, with a single and a double to go with a pair of walks. She also drove in two runs.

Ally Luedtke went 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles and drove in four runs. LouRasia Weatherwax drove in a run on a pair of doubles and scored twice. Ashlie Welker singled, walked twice and scored three of the Maidens’ runs.

The team lost six seniors from last year’s roster, including two-time all-state pitcher Macao Jackson, catcher Maddy Miller and the versatile Julia Daley. Meanwhile, Lexi Wirz, a junior last season, transferred to Polson.

While the loss of veteran players at key positions poses its share of challenges for any program, the 2022 rendition of Maiden softball returns a handful of seasoned seniors along with some younger players with a lot of potential.

Sherman, who also plays the outfield, was named to the Northwest A all-conference second team, while Welker earned an honorable mention.

Senior infielder Aly Mock is expected to have a big season from the plate after healing from an injury that hampered her approach last season.

Reinvigorating the pitching battery will be a pair of juniors in pitcher/infielder Morigeau and catcher Harlee Stokes, who both saw significant action last season.

Morigeau factored into a trio of decisions last year while notching a pair of wins. Stokes continued to hone her craft playing for the Kalispell Emeralds during the summer.

Weatherwax, a junior infielder, saw limited action last season before being sidelined due to injury, but still managed to bat above .500.

Junior infielder/outfielder Brogan Youngren played a versatile utility role last season, alternating between field time when not tearing up the base paths as a courtesy runner while batting a .300 average.

Other returnees who saw action on the field or plate time last season include sophomores Mira Corum, Kaleigh Benson and junior Tracee Burland, who collaborated on 21 hits.

The Maidens were set to visit Mission-Arlee-Charlo on Tuesday night after the Leader went to press. They’ll face Corvallis at Griz Field in Missoula on Wednesday before hosting Frenchtown on Saturday.

Ronan 15, Stevensville 9

Ronan 740 120 1 – 15 14 4

Stevi 221 102 1 – 9 13 1

Kiara Sherman (4IP:2K,1W,1HB), (5) Tyariah Morigeau (3IP:1K,4H,2W) and Harlee Stokes. Lily Brushia, (6) Claire Moody (2K,3HB) and Sophie Berning. W – Sherman (1-0). L – Brushia (0-1). Sv – Morigeau.

RONAN – LouRasia Weatherwax 2-4, Morigeau 1-4, Ashlie Welker 1-2, Kylee Kelch 0-0, Aly Mock 1-4, Brogan Youngren 0-1, Haylie Webster 2-2, Sherman 2-3, Kaydance Santos 0-2, Kaleigh Benson 1-3, Mira Corum 2-4, Ally Luedtke 2-4.

STEVENSVILLE – Claire Schneiter 2-5, Brushia 2-5, Olivia Gray 0-2, Berning 2-3, Lilly Newsom 1-3, Moody 0-4, Emmy Kopsa 2-4, Camas Smith 2-4, Hailey Thomas 2-3.

2B – Weatherwax 2, Webster, Luedtke 2; Berning. RBIs – Weatherwax, Mock, Webster, Sherman 2, Benson 2, Corum 2, Luedtke 4; Schneiter 2, Brushia, Berning, Newsom, Kopsa, Thomas. BB – Welker 2, Webster 2; Gray 2, Berning, Thomas. HB – Benson, Kelch, Weatherwax, Webster, Morigeau; Newsom. SB – Welker, Benson 3, Kelch, Sherman, Webster; Brushia 3, Thomas, Berning. CS – Morigeau, Mock. Runs – Weatherwax 2, Morigeau, Welker 3, Kelch, Webster 3, Sherman 2, Benson, Corum, Luedtke; Schneiter, Brushia 2, Gray 2, Kopsa, Smith 2, Thomas.