Late-game home run, shutout pitching help Roseville softball top Antelope

It all started with a team huddle for the Roseville High School softball team late in the game against Antelope on Wednesday in Placer County.

The game was scoreless after five innings and the Tigers needed a spark to extend their winning streak to seven. That’s when Roseville captains Shaylen McDowell, Lauren Mirtoni, Annie Lemos and Malaya Johnson encouraged someone on the team to step up.

That somebody was senior Madalyn Anderson, who blasted a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. When she rounded third base, she was greeted with a celebration by her teammates at home plate. No. 5 Roseville held on to beat Antelope 2-0. The Tigers have won nine of their last 10.

“I told (my team) if you score a run, I’ll handle it on the field,” Johnson said. “(Madalyn) came up in a really tough position and she did what she did. … Our team leads together. Every inning, someone has something new to say.”

Johnson did her job in the circle and then some. The junior who is already committed to UC Santa Barbara, pitched a complete-game shutout, struck out 12 and only allowed two hits. Other players to step up for the Tigers were Makayla Newsom, Jennavieve Goldsworth, Sophia Ayala and McDowell.

“I have always been a natural person of lead,” Johnson said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself when I’m pitching. I have been pitching for almost 10 years. I started off catching but (pitching) became my passion after I found out I am leading in the circle. Whatever I do, (my team) feeds off of it.”

Roseville’s leader is coach Art Banks, who has been a fixture in Placer County softball for nearly four decades. This is his second stint at the school after spending the previous 19 seasons at Woodcreek. He returned to Roseville in 2015. It’s possible this spring season could be his last coaching.

“We have a great bunch of kids,” Banks said. “I’m getting to the end of my time here. I have been in coaching for a long time and I relish every time I get to come out here with the kids. It’s a lot of fun.”

Banks added, “It depends on what my wife does. If my wife retires, I retire. I retired from teaching nine years ago and (I) took softball back up after a year off. It could be my last year, we don’t know.”

Banks is well respected by his players for his passion and dedication to the sport.

“Sometimes he does some things old-school,” Johnson said. “He’s the first one to the field and the last one to leave. I have put a different type of respect on his name just because of that. He is really passionate about us winning. You can tell how much he cares in practices and games. He is a great coach, person and man.”

Roseville is 8-0 in Capital Valley Conference play and will face River Valley next on Friday. Antelope will travel to Fair Oaks to play Bella Vista on Friday

This story was originally published May 6, 2021 at 7:24 AM.