Gladstone senior Tia Schone fires a pitch during a game against Kingsford on April 30, 2025 at Gladstone High School. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

NEW LOTHROP –Two days after suffering its first loss of the 2025 season No. 4 Gladstone softball bounced back in a big way.

Here’s what led to the Braves (19-1) claiming a 2025 New Lothrop Tournament title

No. 4 Gladstone 5, New Lothrop 0

Senior Tia Schone found herself in a pitcher’s duel with Mallory Heroux for five innings. In fact, the duo combined to issue three walks, allow four hits and strikeout 15 in that stretch. Or as someone who solely wants to see home runs would say “boring”.

Then the top of the sixth inning arrived. And that bored fan mentioned sentences earlier was finally pleased.

Senior lauren Sundquist and Schone earned back-to-back singles to start the sixth inning. Then freshman Lauren Pare stepped to the plate. She battled for seven pitches to work the count full at 3-2. Then the eighth pitch proved to be one Heroux wanted back. Pare cranked a three-run home run over the fence in left field. Freshman Malia Quigley added an RBI single in the frame for a 4-0 advantage.

The Braves tacked on an insurance run off an RBI double from Schone, who allowed three hits and one walk with 13 strikeouts in a complete game shutout to earn the win. Schone and Pare each had three hits while Sundquist earned another multi-hit game.

Victoria Henige finished 2-for-3 for the Hornets. Heroux took the loss in the circle, allowing four earned runs off seven hits with three walks and seven strikeouts across six innings.

No. 4 Gladstone 9, Onaway 2

The Braves had a 2-0 lead entering the fourth off an RBI single from senior Alli Larson and an RBI three-bagger from Sundquist. Then Quigley re-entered the chat.

The freshman outfielder cranked a two-run home run for a 4-0 lead.

The Cardinals cut the deficit in half off RBI singles from Ema Demaestri and Natalee Hyde in the bottom half of the frame, but the Braves had a response in the top of the fifth with an RBI double from Schone and a two-run two-bagger from Quigley. The Braves added a run off an error and an RBI single from sophomore Madison Sundquist in the top of the sixth.

Lauren Sundquist, an MIT commit, finished 3-for-4 with a triple, RBI and a run scored. Maddy Sundquist also went 3-for-4 while scoring twice and driving in a run. Quigley finished 2-for-4 with a home run, double, four RBIs and a run scored. Larson and Pare each earned two hits with the latter earning a double. Sophomore Emma Trombley went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.

Pare also earned the win in the circle, allowing two runs (one earned) off four hits with a walk and four strikeouts in four innings of relief. Schone allowed one hit and fanned seven in three innings of work.

Demaestri finished 2-for-3 from the Hornets. Aleigha Garms took the loss in the circle, allowing seven earned runs off 11 hits with a walk and a strikeout.

What’s next

The Braves play host to Escanaba at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and trip to Norway for a doubleheader on Wednesday.