MUSKEGON TWP. - It's only one loss - the first loss of the season after four nice wins, for that matter.
And the Reeths-Puffer softball team is still the same talented, experienced squad that's expected to have a very good season.
But the Rockets suffered a 9-1 loss in the second game of a non-conference doubleheader against Grand Haven on Thursday.
To be fair, Grand Haven is a also a very good team, and the loss was just an equalizer for the Buccaneers, because the Rockets won the opener 7-4.
R-P's Tessa Ross takes a cut at a pitch. Photo/Steve Gunn
But it's been a while since R-P has lost a game by such a big margin, and it was a strange experience for the Rockets, who finished last season with a 35-4-1 record and won conference and district championships.
"We talked at the end of the first game about so many things we did well, but I told them we can't walk into the next game expecting it to go just like that again," said R-P head coach Sarah Bayle, whose team is now 4-1 on the season. "You have to bring more focus into the second game, when you are already tired.
"Then Grand Haven scored the first two runs in the first inning, and the girls didn't freak out, which was a good thing, but it was also kind of a bad thing. There was no great sense of urgency, and it just spiked from there.
"Coming back against a great team like Grand Haven is hard to do."
R-P catcher Aubrey Clark scrambles after a loose ball. Photo/Steve Gunn
The final score might suggest that Grand Haven pounded the ball and had an offensive holiday against the Rockets, but that really wasn't the case.
The Buccaneers piled up 12 singles that were not hit very hard at all. Most found their way into shallow center field while a few stayed on the infield. Grand Haven was also aided by five walks and four R-P errors.
"They didn't hit the ball very hard," Bayle said. "They scored runs, but not on gap shots. It was just little things here and there, and we couldn't find a way to shut it down.'
Grand Haven scored two runs in the first inning, two in the third , two in the fourth and three in the fifth.
R-P's Mady Snyder gets ready to let go of a pitch . Photo/Steve Gunn
The Rockets' only run came in the third inning, when Lainey McDaniel drew a two-out walk, Abbie Critchett hustled out an infield single, and McDaniel scored on a throwing error on the same play.
The Rockets were largely handcuffed by Grand Haven pitcher Lorelei Chciuk, who only allowed two hits - both infield singles - while striking out 13 and walking five.
"Our first loss last year wasn't until we had like 20 wins, and a loss right off the bat this year does sting, and it should sting," Bayle said. "But I would rather take it now against a good team, take what we can learn from it, and mentally lock in a little bit more."
The first game had a much happier ending for the Rockets.
R-P's Abbie Critchett gets ready to take a lead off third base. Photo/Steve Gunn
Each team scored twice in the third inning, then R-P scored once in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead.
The Rockets added three runs in the sixth inning to take a 6-2 lead.
R-P scored once in the seventh while the Buccaneers scored twice.
McDaniel had two hits for the Rockets while Kyleigh Bilek had one hit and two RBIs. McDaniel pitched the win, scattering six hits with four strikeouts and three walks.