Converted catcher finds room to roam

On May 10, in the last inning of a non-conference softball game, Flathead’s Macy Craver came up big: She drove a 1-1 pitch out to right-center for a grand slam.

Unfortunately, Polson led the Bravettes 15-0 at the time. The visitors scored five runs in the fifth inning, which wasn’t enough to extend the game under the mercy rule.

You’d take that highlight, though.

“It was definitely a good feeling,” Craver said Tuesday. “It was my first home run. And having a grand slam on top of it, boosted my confidence. Last year I struggled in the box. This year I definitely stepped up.”

The Bravettes went 3-17 this spring, down from the six wins they got in 2021. Six seniors were on that team, four of which hit .300.

That left about 250 varsity plate appearances coming back this season, and a third of them belonged to Craver. She was a consistent, constant at the top of the lineup, hitting .400.

Add in four walks and two hit by pitches and her on base percentage is .455; add that to her slugging percentage and she has Manny Machado’s OPS (1.022).

It’s also worth noting that that grand slam accounted for all but one of her RBIs this season. Underclassmen got a lot of playing time behind her, and it showed.

“You know, our team was very young,” Craver said. “A lot of freshmen and sophomores — but a great group of girls. We instantly bonded. There was a lot of leadership from our sophomores (Kaidyn Lake and Laynee Vessar, mainly). All the girls were very positive. I think that helped our perspective.

“The attitude was there. We were just too young.”

Craver is the product of a pair of Libby Loggers who created a baseball family: Older brother Jonathan played for the Lakers Legion program. The diamond is a great place to play, moreso if you have to take great outfield routes.

So it is easier to stay positive, which the Bravettes were during a crosstown loss to Glacier a couple weeks ago, if a couple shots are tracked down by your former catcher.

Craver’s freshman season began as her fifth straight behind the plate.

“But they wanted to try me out in center field,” she said. “I like center field better. I caught basically my whole life, and finally got a break, and got to try something new. Good things came out of that.”

So what now? Craver’s outfield prowess led her to send film to Providence in Great Falls, but she’s decided she’s going to Idaho State in Pocatello — which has a softball team, but she’s more interested in its psychology program and reputation as a research institution.

“I always wanted to go out of state,” said Craver, who also looked at Washington State and Western Oregon. “I kind of just chose a school where I could just go by myself, and experience new things. Kind of a scary thing, but it’s something I’m ready for.”

Keeping it in softball terms, Pocatello makes perfect sense. There’s more room to roam. The attitude is there.

Fritz Neighbor can be reached at 758-4463 or fneighbor@dailyinterlake.com.