Gladstone senior Tia Schone hurls a pitch during a game against Ishpeming Westwod on April 14, 2025 at Gladstone High School. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

GLADSTONE — For 15 long months Gladstone senior Tia Schone was forced to the sidelines due a torn ACL and Meniscus in her right knee.

Schone made her return to the softball diamond on Monday. She also wasted no time making a statement, hurling six perfect innings with a jaw-dropping 16 strikeouts in game one of the Braves’ doubleheader sweep over Ishpeming Westwood. The Braves claimed game one 10-0 in six innings and game two 21-0 in three innings.

“It was a big deal,” Braves skipper Scott Herioux said of Schone’s return. “I didn’t want to take her out of that game. It was a good moment for her.”

Schone, a First Team All-State selection in 2023, wasted no time doing damage in the circle. The senior tossed an immaculate inning in the first frame, striking out the first three Westwood batters in nine pitches.

In fact, she didn’t throw ball one until the sixth batter she faced for a 1-1 count which turned into a strikeout. The Patriots didn’t put a ball into play until the end of the fifth inning, a weak groundout to shortstop for the final out of the frame.

Schone totaled 60 pitches in the win. Of the 60 pitches, 52 were strikes.

“I wasn’t surprised at all,” senior catcher Lauren Sundquist said. “It’s good to see that she’s translating what we’ve been working on in practice to the game. She deserves that.”

While Schone was impressive in the circle, the Braves slowly and steadily added run support. Gladstone tacked on four runs in the third and five runs in the bottom of the sixth which ultimately ended the game due to the five-inning run rule, ending Schone’s perfect game bid after six innings.

Sundquist finished 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored, two stolen bases and two RBIs. Freshman Ava Goodman went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, two stolen bases and an RBI. Freshman Lauren Pare added a double and a RBI. Sophomore Madison Sundquist earned two hits and an RBI.

“I’m really excited for this team,” Lauren Sundquist said. “We hit really well today. We’re all aggressive at the plate. It didn’t feel like we had nerves at all.”

The sixth-inning success from the batter’s box in game one rolled over into game two. And in a big way. The Braves tacked on 13 runs in the first inning. A stanza which featured a two-run double from freshman Malia Quigley, an RBI single from sophomore Emma Trombley, a two-run double from Goodman, back-to-back home runs from Lauren Sundquist and Schone and a two-run single from senior Brooklyn Pendegraft.

The Braves added eight runs in the second thanks to a grand slam from Pare, RBI singles from Quigley and Tromblemy and a two-run double from Lauren Sundquist.

Pare earned the win in the circle, walking two and striking out four in three hitless innings of work and scored three runs from the batter’s box.

Lauren Sundquist went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Quigley went 2-for-2 with four RBI and two runs scored. Schone added two hits in two at bats with an RBI and run scored. Goodman finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Up next

The Braves are currently scheduled to host Marquette at 4:30 p.m. Thursday for a doubleheader.

Gladstone senior Lauren Sundquist (middle) is mobbed by teammates at home plate after hitting a home run during game two of a doubleheader against Ishpeming Westwood on April 14, 2025 at Gladstone High School (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)