NEW PALESTINE — Going into last season, New Palestine’s softball team had one question mark — who was going to catch?
The Dragons knew they could hit. They had their ace pitcher. But who would be behind the plate wasn’t so certain.
Coach Ed Marcum found his answer in a freshman, Michaela Jones (who goes by Mic), whose older sister, Mackenzie (who goes by Mac), pitched for the Dragons.
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“Mic came to me and said, ‘Coach, I catch Mac some during pitching lessons. If you want me to try it, I’ll try it,’” Marcum said. “She’s a shortstop by nature. That’s her position. I knew she’s a good athlete; she’s a gamer.”
One state title later, it sure looks like the idea worked out. It worked so well, in fact, Michaela is back behind the plate for her sophomore season, now catching for her sister full time.
“She was able to step in and do a great job for us last year,” Marcum said. “… With Mac being our main pitcher this year, I asked her to do it one more year for us.”
Mackenzie Jones, now a senior headed to DePauw University after her final season at New Palestine, takes over the role of the Dragons’ No. 1 pitcher. She went 9-0 last year with a 1.71 ERA as the Dragons’ second pitcher.
She’s practiced with her sister for as long as they can remember, and the siblings played travel ball together until Mackenzie’s sophomore year.
The family familiarity led Michaela Jones, who has committed to Maryland, to her offer of trying out a fairly new position. It’s something both sisters agree has panned out.
“It’s really fun,” Michaela said of catching for her sister. “I’ve been doing it in the bullpen, catching her at lessons, and I know what she can throw. I guess I’m more relaxed.”
Her older sister shared similar sentiments.
“It’s nice because I know I can rely on her,” Mackenzie Jones said. “She’s been catching me forever, so she knows how I work, knows when I’m in my head and how to get me out of it. She really just makes it more enjoyable. I’m just a lot more relaxed knowing she’s with me out there.”
That relaxation plays into Mackenzie’s demeanor on the mound, something Marcum credits for the success the senior has experienced.
“Mac’s always been a pretty tough competitor,” Marcum said. “I’ve given her pitching lessons since she was very young. Her demeanor when she’s pitching is always the same, whether she just gave up a hit or just struck somebody out. She’s got the same expression. That’s really important for a pitcher — you don’t give the other team any confidence.”
The Dragons employed a two-pitcher approach in their 2018 opener, starting with Mackenzie Jones and finishing with sophomore Kaylea Bullock. It’s a rotation Marcum wants to continue, as the two have different styles on the mound, which he feels gives his team an advantage.
That equips New Palestine with two types of pitchers — Mackenzie Jones as more of a location pitcher, Bullock as more of a strikeout pitcher — for Michaela Jones to catch.
“I love catching Kaylea, but with Mac, … I know what her pitches are like, so I know what to expect back there,” Michaela said.
Knowing what to expect comes in handy, as Mackenzie considers her dropball one of her best pitches.
And that’s not always the easiest pitch for a catcher to stay in front of.
“She likes to throw that in the dirt sometimes,” Michaela said. “It’s not my favorite thing.”
It’s not just about the pitching and catching when it comes to the siblings and their impact on the team. Both sisters happen to be pretty good with a bat, too.
While Mackenzie has the throwing advantage, she said she thinks her sister has been the more impressive hitter. Mackenzie hit .296 last year, with a double among her 16 hits. She also added 13 RBIs.
Michaela’s freshman season saw her hit .406 and blast seven home runs. Of her 43 hits, she had 15 doubles and contributed 26 RBIs.
“I personally think we’re different types of hitters,” Mackenzie said. “Mic has really blown me away because she has gotten insanely good with hitting over the past couple of years. When we were younger, I think I was always above her, but she always played with older girls, and I have to say she’s definitely outshone me a lot of times.
“She hit better her freshman year than I ever thought about doing.”
Claiming the state championship together last season gave the sisters a very large taste of winning.
That doesn’t mean the siblings, or their teammates, are going to get complacent this season.
“Knowing how much fun and how good it felt last year, we want that same feeling,” Mackenzie said. “That keeps us pushing ourselves. We can’t mess around. We have to show people that we can keep going. We know if we don’t play how we’re supposed to, someone else could beat us.”
Last year, someone else did beat them. Twice. That’s something Marcum and his pitcher and catcher said they’d like to avoid this year in their quest for another title.
The sisters experienced the ultimate success last season alongside their coach and their teammates.
Now, together for one more season, they want more.
