EVERETT — After falling heartbreakingly short in recent years, the Monroe softball team and its senior class are headed to state.
The second-seeded Bearcats exploded for a six-run third inning and punched their ticket to Spokane with a 7-1 win over top-seeded Lake Stevens in the loser-out Class 4A District 1 second-place game Friday at Phil Johnson Ballfields.
“Going into this game, we told (the seniors), ‘We’re doing this for you. We’re going to win for you guys,’” junior pitcher McKenzie Schulz said. “We pushed through, and they finally get to go to state. And that’s what we wanted all season. They deserve it.”
In the previous three seasons, Monroe has lost two winner-to-state games by a combined three runs. Last year, the Bearcats’ season ended with a 2-0 loss to eventual state champion Snohomish. In 2014, Monroe’s state dreams were crushed by a 1-0 loss to Newport.
“The last three years, this group of seniors have been so close,” Bearcats coach Mike Birch said. “None of these girls have experienced state, so it’s going to be an experience for them. And they’ve really worked hard for it — not just this season, but the last four years.”
Entering Friday’s win-or-go-home contest, Monroe (19-5) had managed only two runs combined in 15 innings against Lake Stevens ace Sara Johnson while splitting the regular-season series with the Vikings.
But the Bearcats put those struggles behind them with a monstrous third inning, scoring six runs on six hits and an error while sending 10 batters to the plate.
“Most of the times when you get a big inning like that, it’s just momentum,” Birch said. “All it takes is one girl to get a hit, and it breathes confidence into the rest of the team.”
After Megan Rybar led off the third with a bloop double and Olivia Fenner reached on a bunt single, Elise Allen tied the game at 1 with a run-scoring base hit. Morgan Allen, a University of Washington signee and Elise’s older sister, then lined a two-run double into left field to give Monroe a 3-1 lead.
Then after the Bearcats added another run on an error, Schulz and Hannah Hvitved each lined a run-scoring single into the outfield to extend the margin to 6-1.
“We were looking for good pitches to hit,” Schulz said. “And once we got a few, we just kept going and going and rolling on it.”
Schulz, a University of Washington commit, allowed only one run and six hits while tossing a complete game. She recorded six strikeouts and no walks.
“She’s a big-game pitcher,” Birch said. “She lives for the moments like this. She had confidence the whole time. … She just located really well tonight and kept the ball down (for) a lot of ground balls. She worked that game plan to a tee. She did a great job.”
The loss marked a bitter end to an impressive season for Wesco 4A champion Lake Stevens (19-3). The Vikings entered the district tournament with only one loss, but saw their season end after dropping back-to-back winner-to-state games — including Thursday’s 5-1 loss to Jackson in the district championship.
“We had a great year and we did some really good things,” Lake Stevens coach Sarah Hirsch said. “In the end, we didn’t take care of the things we should’ve. But it’s softball — it’s what happens. If one team hits and one doesn’t, you’re going to be in trouble. And that’s what happened to us today.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
