Plains Softball bounces back from Ronan with doubleheader

PLAINS – The Trotters dusted off their Thursday loss to Ronan with aggressive grandeur on Saturday as they shut down Deer Lodge in a brutal doubleheader at home.

The sweep was the result of many key RBIs and effective communication, according to head coach Greg Newton.

“I always try to keep the girls talking and moving,” Coach Newton said. “What certainly helped was that Deer Lodge was missing a couple of key players. But, when up against Ronan on Thursday, I don’t know if it was dirt field or what but we just didn’t have the confidence we have when we play at home.”

The gals took it to Deer Lodge in the first inning of the first game after taking advantage of Deer Lodge’s troubled starter pitcher; and coupled with an even more aggressive defense that let hardly any runs through, it was smooth sailing 13-0 going into the second inning.

As the Lady Wardens began to muster some momentum going into the second inning, it was the efforts of senior pitcher Karlena Heward that led the defense with intense pitches and quick feet off the mound when necessary. Heward threw just eight hits in the first game, as well as making three strike-outs and one walk. Senior third-baser Shannel Peterson made some key plays in the defense as well, often picking up pop-flys and grounders and lobbing them like fireballs to a ready Tia Thompson on first base to catch. Sophomore Tia Thompson was on hand in both games and dealt the Lady Wardens hard hands. She went 2 for 2 and even put in four RBIs. 

“When they come out, they are very aggressive as they are in practice,” Coach Newton said. “My philosophy is that you play how you practice, so when I take them through throwing, fielding, and batting, I overemphasize that philosophy and how they need to be just as aggressive in practice so that it carries over to play.”

One such example of this aggressive play-as-practiced approach materialized in senior Ashley Thompson’s batting and footing work. In the third inning of the first game, she hit a solid, low drive right into the Lady Warden pitcher, the ball bounced off the pitcher’s glove, and Thompson took full advantage of the flaw as she sprinted through first and slid into second with aggressive intensity. Peterson soon brought Thompson home with a grounder that got away from the Lady Wardens and into their outfield. Another example of the play-as-practiced was that of senior Hannah Powell in the defense. She dove for and caught a fast-rolling grounder with catlike-reflexes, threw it Tia Thompson on first, and the crowd as well as her teammates went wild with cheers. 

The score of the first game was 24-9, Trotters. The second , 19-4, Trotters. 

“Fundamentally, we’re sound,” Coach Newton said of the Trotters. “We’ve got a very athletic team, and as we go up against tougher teams like Mission, we’re just taking it one game at a time.”