Everett, Wash.
Published: Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Monroe's Jordan Birch, Bearcats win duel

In a matchup of two of the area's elite hurlers --Monroe's Jordan Birch and Everett's Cory Mattson -- Birch leads Monroe to a 2-0 win Tuesday

By Mike Cane
Herald Writer

 MONROE -- With a pair of future Division-I pitchers taking turns on the mound, offense took a back seat.

As expected, Monroe High School's Jordan Birch and Everett High's Cory Mattson -- two of the area's elite throwers -- consistently dominated hitters Tuesday in a Western Conference North Division softball game at Park Place Field.

Hits were few and far between in the division opener for both teams, so it came down to mistakes. Everett made more, including three errors that led to both runs in Monroe's 2-0 triumph.

Birch, The Herald's 2007 All-Area Softball Player of the Year, was solid for Monroe (2-0 overall), tallying 12 strikeouts and allowing two hits. The Illinois State University recruit also singled, stole a base and scored the Bearcats' second run.

"There's no question that she's without a doubt the best pitcher in Wesco and one of the top two or three pitchers in the state," Everett coach Kyle Peacocke said.

Often throwing with first-pitch strikes, Birch had seven strikeouts through the first three innings. Everett (2-1 overall) moved runners to third base just twice all game and Monroe played flawless defense. Alexandra Hudson (2-for-2 with a triple) was the only Everett player to get a hit against Birch.

"If she gets ahead of you (in the ball-strike count) she can pretty much do whatever she wants to do. She's really smart. I tip my hat to her," Peacocke said of Birch.

Everett's Mattson, The Herald's 2006 All-Area Player of the Year, pitched well too. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro-bound senior had 13 strikeouts in six innings, allowing three hits and zero earned runs.

Monroe scored single runs in the second and fourth innings.

Tessa Degel scored the Bearcats' first run. After Briar Stanley's triple to left field, Degel did a squeeze bunt. Everett threw out Stanley at home, but then a Seagull throwing error allowed Degel to come all the way around and score.

Birch led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a bloop single to right field. Her stolen base and two more Everett errors helped Monroe go ahead 2-0.

Monroe coach Curt Eskeback said he was pleased with how his team capitalized on Everett's miscues. "It's just a good way to start (the league schedule)," he said.

Monroe plays at Stanwood today.

"Every game's big. Everybody wants (to beat) us," said Eskeback, whose team has won the past three Wesco North championships.

Everett, which gets a rematch against Monroe April 11, had a few chances to score against Birch. The last opportunity came with two out in the top of the sixth inning. Following her triple, Hudson raced home when Birch's high pitch got past Stanley, Monroe's catcher. Hudson slid to the plate but was tagged out by Birch.

Two innings earlier Everett had runners on second and third with two outs. Lauren Hope smashed a line drive to the outfield, but it was caught by Monroe center fielder Megan McKinney.

Said Peacocke, "If that ball's 2 or 3 feet one way or the other it's a whole new game."

After tossing a perfect game last week in her season debut, Birch gave up a hit to the second batter she faced Tuesday. It didn't faze her much, though.

"It's bound to happen," said Birch. "I'm not perfect."

Maybe not, but she's usually awfully close.



At Park Place Field

Everett 000 000 0 -- 0 2 3

Monroe 010 100 x -- 2 3 0

Mattson and An. Hudson. Birch and Stanley. WP-Birch (2-0). LP-Mattson (2-1). 3B-Stanley (M), Al. Hudson (E). Records-Everett 0-1 in division, 2-1 overall. Monroe 1-0, 2-0.

Writer Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA