Gladstone’s Sam Drelick (10) gets mobbed by teammates at home plate after hitting a home run against Ishpeming Westwood on April 18, 2024 at Gladstone. ("The Big Dog" Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

GLADSTONE –The 2024 softball season is officially underway for Gladstone.

The Braves wasted little time, earning 11-0 and 13-2 home wins over Ishpeming Westwood on Thursday.

“It’s a small sample size. but we appear to have a lot more confidence and a lot more maturity at the plate than we have the last couple of years,” Braves coach Rick Pepin said. “It’s nice to see that piece blossom.”

Game one

The Braves drew first blood with a two-run double from Emma Trombley. Then the flood gates opened in the fifth inning.

The Braves connected with seven-straight hits to start the frame, featuring an RBI triple from Lauren Sundquist, RBI single from Rylee Gerow, RBI double from Montgomery Pepin and a two-run home run from Sam Drelick. Allie Larson blasted a two-run fence clearing hit of her own to push the lead to 9-0. Sundquist called game with another triple, this time scoring two for an 11-0 win thanks to the run rule.

Sundquist finished 2-for-4 with three RBI. Drelick, Larson and Trombley finished with two RBI. Reese Herioux finished 3-for-3 and scored twice.

Pepin finished 1-for-3 with an RBI from the plate and allowed one hit and two walks to go with six strikeouts in the circle.

Game two

Gerow assumed duties in the circle to start game two. While she allowed one hit and walked two batters to go with three strikeouts.

Pepin finished the final three innings, allowing two unearned runs off one hit and fanning six.

The Braves bats continued to roll, scoring in every innings.

Drelick belted a RBI double, and a Patriots miscue scored two for a 3-0 lead after one frame.

Down to their last out in the second, the Braves pounced on the scoreboard once again. Gerow and Pepin delivered with RBI knocks. Another Westwood error, combined with an RBI double from Larson, made it 8-0 Braves after two.

With the lead at 9-2 off a Gerow single in the third, Gladstone began wreaking havoc once again in the fourth. Brooklyn Pendegraft connected with an RBI double for a 10-2 lead.

Then freshman Madison Sundquist made her presence felt, mashing her first career varsity home run to push the lead to 13-2.

Gerow, who pitched and played shortstop and outfield during Thursday’s action, finished 3-for-4, scoring twice and driving in two.

“She took advantage of every opportunity today,” Rick Pepin said of Gerow. “She’s really put a lot of additional time and practice to be prepared. We got her in the two spot (in the batting order) which is something that is new to her as well. That applies a little bit more pressure to it, and she handled it like a true senior.

Larson finished 2-for-3 with two RBI.

The Braves travel to Beaverton for the 2024 Beaverton Tournament on Saturday.