Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Malakoff first baseman Brianna Mott gets the ball back to the mound after checking the Jacksonville runner.

Monitor Photo/Russell Slaton
Malakoff’s Alabama Anding pitches a no-hit shutout Feb. 10 to start her team’s 2025 softball season.

MALAKOFF–The Class 3A Malakoff Tigers softball team started their regular season Feb. 10 with a 9-0 shutout victory over the Class 5A Jacksonville Maidens, scoring three runs in the opening inning, two in the second and four runs in the fourth to secure their win.
Alabama Anding threw a complete-game no-hitter for the first win of the season, striking out six and walking three. “We played really good defense behind her and a good team win,” Malakoff coach Matt Wittram said.
In that first inning, Kylie Miller singled to drive in a run, Bri Smith was struck by a pitch (bringing home another Malakoff player) and Jacksonville committed an error to allow a third run.
Malakoff extended their lead in the second when McKayla Kijanowski singled, followed by another Jacksonville error (there were five Maiden errors during the game) that let the fifth Malakoff run cross the plate. Then, in the fourth inning, Malakoff cinched the contest by tacking on four more runs.
Malakoff was led at the plate by Miller, who as the shortstop went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in. Anding added a triple, while James had a single, along with Kijanowski. The Tigers also drew six walks during the game, two of those by Anding and another two by Saylor Cartlidge. The Lady Tigers also stole five bases against Jacksonville.