C2D1 SB: Malden follows unlikely path to District championship

PORTAGEVILLE – The storyline throughout the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 Softball Tournament for Malden never made any sense.

The Green Wave opened their postseason by 10-running East Prairie 11-1, after having to score a run in their final at-bat less than two weeks ago in beating the Eagles.

Malden then upset favored Senath-Hornersville/Southland in the semifinal, which came after the Lions smoked Malden 16-8 last month.

To conclude its journey to a championship, Malden destroyed host Portageville on Tuesday at Adams Park in Portageville 18-4, which followed a Bulldog beatdown (6-0) of the Green Wave earlier this season.

“I knew we were capable,” first-year Green Wave coach Kyle Jones said following the victory.

Not only did Malden get blanked by Portageville last month, but the Bulldogs opened Tuesday’s game by scoring four runs in the first inning.

“It surprised me,” Jones said, “how hot Portageville came out.”

This tournament never made much sense on any level.

In the semifinal round, Portageville knocked off top-seed Kennett, which had won eight consecutive District titles, and then looked in control of the Green Wave early.

“We told (the players),” Jones said, “’ We’ve been in this situation before and battled back.’ It’s still early and there is plenty of time to catch up. We just wanted to chip away.”

And Malden did. In a BIG way.

Still trailing 4-0 in the third inning, the Green Wave (17-10) took advantage of two hit-by-pitches and a couple of Portageville miscues, as well as a double by senior Rachel Rommel and pulled to within 4-3 with two outs.

Two more Bulldog errors allowed Addi Buchanan and Brydon Maddox to score, and Malden held a 6-4 advantage.

“I trusted my team,” Rommel said.

She did so with good reason.

Rommel cited a recent win over a 19-win Risco team in a game that Malden trailed 6-1 entering their final at-bat.

In that stunning 7-6 Green Wave victory, they got five hits, a walk, and reached on a fielder’s choice, as Malden scored six runs in the one inning to win.

“I stayed confident with my team,” Rommel said. “We just needed to put the ball where the gaps were.”

The Green Wave added another run in the fourth inning and then four more in the fifth and seven more in the sixth to seal the victory.

“Malden just outplayed us,” first-year Bulldog coach Kelsey Snider said. “They had some really good hits. We made some errors behind our pitcher, and they outhit us and outplayed us.

“They deserved it.”

Rommel was nothing short of phenomenal.

She connected for five of Malden’s 12 hits and tallied four runs and had four RBI. She had a double and a home run among her hits.

Kinley Buchanan added two doubles, three runs, and three RBI in the win, while Mariah Loya (three runs, one walk), Maddox (one hit, two runs, two walks), Addi Buchanan (two runs, four RBI), Alyssa Broom (two hits, three RBI), Katie Sparks (two runs, one walk), and Dani Churchwell (two hits, one run) also contributed.

Broom, who was tremendous in the semifinal win over Senath-Hornersville/Southland, added another impressive performance, as she threw six innings and allowed three earned runs on eight hits while walking none and striking out five.

Portageville senior Jayla Coger closed her career with a great game at the plate, as she totaled three hits, including a double, one run, and one RBI.

Brianna Harless added two hits for the Bulldogs (15-12), while Libbie Priggel (one hit, one run, one RBI), Ja’niya Smith (one hit, one run), and Reece Rone (one hit, one run, one RBI) also were productive for Portageville.

Aubrey Greenwell allowed eight hits and five earned runs on the mound in the defeat while walking two and striking g out four.

Taryn Partin worked an inning of relief and allowed four hits and a couple of earned runs while walking three and striking out two.

Malden had won District titles from 2014 through 2019 but hadn’t won a championship since.

The Green Wave will face West County (22-3) in the quarterfinal on Tuesday (location TBA).