Lady Bulldogs breakout in Deer Lodge
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DEER LODGE — The Lady Bulldogs saved their best for last against the Lady Wardens in Deer Lodge Friday.
Arlee freshman Mahalia Hendren sparked a five-run seventh inning to blow open a close game in a 9-3 conference victory. Lady Bulldog ace Kyla Olson struck out 11 and only allowed one hit to pick up her sixth win and help Mission improve to 6-2.
The Lady Bulldogs were holding onto a slim 4-3 lead after the Lady Wardens scored two unearned runs on two Lady Bulldogs’ errors in the bottom of the sixth, when Hendren started the rally with a one-out double. Hendren came home on a single by shortstop Kinley Pope, who finished 1-for-3. Pope would later score on one of two Lady Warden errors in the inning. Lady Bulldog cleanup hitter Katie McDonald drove in Bella Dally, who reached on a walk, with a single. Katie McDonald would score on the Lady Wardens’ second error in the inning. Dalena Weaselhead came home for the Lady Bulldogs’ final run on a RBI-single by Jasmine Gilleard.
“Everything kind of came together for them. Everything was clicking,” Mission coach Susan Weaselhead said of the Lady Bulldogs’ final at bat.
Although the Lady Bulldogs were hitting the ball hard in the first six innings, the ball didn’t start finding the holes until the seventh inning. Weaselhead said her team never got discouraged in the first six innings.
“They’re persistent. They keep their heads up and can’t wait to get up again,” Weaselhead said.
The Lady Bulldogs finished with seven hits and were also helped by five Lady Wardens errors, with two of them coming in the Lady Bulldogs’ four-run third inning. Serena Long, who reached base on a single and Breanna Steele both came home on a Lady Warden throwing error. Katie McDonald drove in Dally on a fielders’ choice after Dally reached on an error and Mission third baseman Janeal McDonald drove in Pope with a single after Pope drew the Lady Bulldogs’ second walk in the inning.
Weaselhead said that Olson was masterful on the mound and was able to overcome three Lady Bulldog errors, which led to three unearned runs. With the wind blowing the ball all over the place, Olson made sure to keep her pitches low and the ball on the ground. It’s Olson’s command of the strike zone that has impressed Weaselhead through eight games of the season. She said that Olson can throw a wide-variety of pitches – Olson has five different pitches she can go to – for strikes, which keeps the opposing batters on their heels.
Through eight games of the season, the Lady Bulldogs are beating the team that they should beat, but they have yet to beat an elite team in the conference – their two losses were at the hands on Western B-C powerhouses Loyola and Thompson Falls. Weaselhead is convinced that the Lady Bulldogs’ signature win is just around the corner.
At the start of the year, it was the Lady Bulldogs’ veterans at the top of the order doing all the damage for Mission, but now all nine girls on the field are pitching in.
“Everybody is picking up their game. The bottom of the line up is hitting the ball. I think they are coming onto their game,” Weaselhead said, adding that with each game the five first-time starters on the team are gaining confidence.
“They have the ability, they just need confidence in themselves,” Weaselhead said. “Consistency will come with confidence.”
The Lady Bulldogs will get a chance to pick up the signature win they’ve been searching for Thursday, when they travel to Florence to play the Lady Falcons.
Mission 9, Deer Lodge 3
Mission 004 000 5–9 7 3
D. Lodge 100 002 0 –3 15
Kyla Olson and Katie McDonald. Kellie Despain and Chelsie Micu. W - Olson (6-2). L - Despain (2-4).
MISSION - Bella Dally 0-3, Kinley Pope 1-3, Katie McDonald 1-4, Janeal McDonald 2-4, Dalena Weaselhead 0-4, Jasmine Gilleard 1-3, Olson 0-3, Serena Long 1-4, Bryanna Steele 0-1, Mahalia Hendren 1-1.
DEER LODGE - Shelby Applegate 0-3, Dani Johnson 0-2, Andi Lambertl 0-2 Sydnee McKee 0-3, Paige Krusich 1-3, Kellie Despain 0-2, Taylor Redforn 0-3, Ivy Dunkan 0-2, Annie Lombardi 0-2,
