MARYSVILLE — Callie Bircher pitched her second nine-inning complete game of the year and struck out 10 as the Grizzlies topped Marysville Pilchuck 6-4 in a Wesco 3A crossover game. Emma Bollinger had a base hit up the middle to tie the game in the seventh and send it to extra innings, as well as a single over the right fielder’s head in the ninth that made it 6-4 and eventually won the game. Both came with two outs.
That sort of clutch hitting is what was missing the last time Glacier Peak went nine innings against Meadowdale on April 2. In that game Bircher dueled for eight innings with Alyssa Reuble, but the Grizzlies only managed one hit and Bircher gave up a three-run homer in the ninth to lose 3-0.
This game was a chance at redemption, and Bircher and the Grizzlies took advantage.
“(Bircher) held us together. We made some mistakes behind her, but she kept getting strikeouts” said Glacier Peak head coach Caitlin Nies.
When the game went to extra innings, Bircher turned up her game even more.
“I think they got one hit in the last three innings. When we tied it up, she locked it up for us. … She’s a competitor. She gets better when things get tougher.”
Despite earlier struggles, the Grizzlies also stepped defensively when they needed to. Jocelyn Matheny made a diving catch in the bottom of the eighth to save a hit, and also snagged a couple of line drives at second base.
“We’ve been playing well the last few weeks, but we haven’t quite gotten wins out of it. But I feel like things are starting to come together. Hopefully we just keep riding this momentum.”
At Marysville Pilchuck H.S.
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Jordan Willard, Haley Fritz (9) and Casey Zachry. Callie Bircher and Nina Kim. WP—Bircher. LP—Willard. 2B—Emma Bollinger (GP), Abi Otto. Records—Glacier Peak 3-2 league, 7-5 overall. Marysville Pilchuck 4-1, 7-5.
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