The Montesano softball team used its powerful offense to overcome an early deficit in a high-scoring 10-8 home victory over Lakeside on April 2.
The Bulldogs didn’t get off to the start they were hoping for, surrendering three runs in the top of the first inning to the Eagles.
Bulldogs pitcher Lindsay Pace struggled with her command in the early going and started the game off by giving up a single, a walk and hitting a batter.
Pace settled down in the second and third innings before getting roughed up again for three more runs in the third, two of which came on a home run from Aggie Bennett.
Montesano head coach Pat Pace said Lindsay Pace looked good once she found her groove in the latter innings.
“Lindsay’s nemesis right now is walks and hit batters, but the last two innings she faced six batters and got six outs,” he said. “All she needs to do is keep it low to get ground outs.”
Pace may have had her early struggles, but she wasn’t without run support. After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, Montesano responded with a run in the first and four more in the second to take a 5-3 lead.
Pace helped her own cause, driving in Matti Ekerson and Katie Granstrom as part of a four-run rally in the second inning.
When the Bulldogs needed some breathing room while nursing a 8-7 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Madi Campbell came up with a two-run blast to left field to expand Monte’s lead to 10-7.
Campbell said she knew she would get something to hit since Lakeside pitcher Saddie Sonnabend had been around the plate for most of the day.
“When I was watching her pitch I noticed she was consistently throwing strikes, so I was just looking for contact,” she said. “That’s all I was looking for when I got up there, but I was proud of the hit.”
Campbell, a freshman, is a new addition to the roster and had only two varsity at-bats before last week’s game.
She said she hasn’t had to adjust her game too much since being called up to the varsity roster, and said she tries to keep the same energy no matter the level she’s playing on.
“You play at the same level and bring the same intensity to anywhere you are,” she said. “It’s a higher standard, but either way you’re bringing the same intensity and the same fire that you did on junior varsity.”
Montesano played a home game against Tenino on Tuesday, which ended too late for this edition..
Coach Pace said he was pleased with the offensive output but is still waiting for his team to perform at a higher level in all aspects of the game.
“You have to have three things: Offense, defense and pitching. Something has to work and our offense worked for us today,” he said. “I think we can match a lot of teams, but I’d like to have the defense and pitching to help out.”
