The Charleston-based Highview Christian softball team has made a dramatic turnaround in its second varsity season thanks to McDonalds.
Not the fast food chain, the coach and his two daughters.
First-year head coach Matt McDonald, sophomore pitcher Kelsea McDonald and freshman shortstop Megan McDonald have led the Knights to a 7-6 record and a berth in the Eastern Maine Class D softball tournament’s prelims.
Highview Christian, which doesn’t have a senior, was 0-9 a year ago and only one game lasted the full seven innings. The others ended early due to the 12-run mercy rule.
Matt McDonald was an assistant coach at Bangor Christian last season and Kelsea was the Patriots’ No. 1 pitcher.
But the McDonald sisters transferred to Highview Christian and their dad became the softball coach.
“Bangor Christian just didn’t seem to work for us. Highview Christian does. We wanted a smaller school,” explained Matt McDonald.
“They have all made a big difference,” said Highview Christian athletic director Mike Rowe.
Kelsea McDonald has pitched 11 games and has 110 strikeouts and 36 walks in 56 innings.
“She throws extremely hard and is dedicated,” said Matt McDonald.
She is also their leading hitter.
“She’s hitting around .500 with three triples and six to eight doubles,” said Matt McDonald. “She is our leadoff hitter. She has good wheels.”
Megan McDonald is hitting in the .400s from the cleanup spot and leads the team in RBIs.
Rowe said Matt McDonald “has brought a different attitude to the team. He has a lot of energy and enthusiasm because he loves the sport. He has made a big difference.”
McDonald is used to being successful, as he guided one of his youth teams in Old Town to a city championship.
Growing up in the softball-rich ASA league in Old Town was beneficial to his daughters, he said.
A major influence in Kelsea McDonald’s pitching career was childhood friend Karah Hussey, the starting right fielder for the Class B powerhouse Coyotes. Hussey, a former pitcher, showed her how to pitch.
There have been other important contributors, also.
Junior first baseman Rachel Pomerleau hits fifth in the lineup and is hitting over .300 and speedy junior center fielder Michaela Hill leads the team in stolen bases.
The other starters are junior catcher Cece Allard, sophomore third baseman Kiley Eckstein, junior left fielder Cheyenne Fernald, sophomore designated player Courtney Clark, who is also the number two pitcher, sophomore right fielder Kasey Bragdon and sophomore second baseman DesRae Day.
“DesRae is our most improved player,” said McDonald. “She had never played softball and is stopping everything at second and is also putting the bat on the ball.”
Completing the roster are eighth-grade outfielders Chloe Eckstein and Cara Jurczak; sophomore outfielder Charis Morin and sophomore outfielder Katherine Bragdon, Kasey’s twin.
The Eckstein sisters are transfers from Aroostook County.
Matt McDonald says the future is bright. He expects to make another significant jump next season.
“It looks like we’ll have some transfers coming in and that will help our defense. We are still making seven errors a game, although we’ve improved,” he said.