Cascade softball scores in 11th to beat Monroe 1-0

Published 11:26 pm Tuesday, April 23, 2013

MONROE — Cascade’s Makinlee Sellevold and Monroe’s Alyssa Egan dueled for 11 innings, and might have been out there for another 11 if it weren’t for the international tiebreaker rule. The Bruins took advantage of a free runner at second base granted to each team at the beginnig of each inning starting in the 11th and beat Monroe 1-0 in a Wesco 4A crossover game.

Neither pitcher flinched and it was eventually an error that allowed Courtnie Gallardo to score the game’s only run.

Gallardo started the inning on second and after Monroe intentionally walked Sellevold, Sage Andersen layed down a bunt. The throw to first hit off the tip of the defender’s glove and Gallardo was able to score from second.

Sellevold finished off the game by retiring the heart of the Bearcats’ lineup in order, but not without few tense moments. Monroe’s free runner Savanna Hohenstein started the home half of the 11th by stealing third. Then Egan hit a line drive to third that required Chloe McIntosh to make “a beautiful catch,” according to Cascade head coach Kelly Ross.

Sellevold — who also finished 3-for-4 at the plate — then battled Rachael Delamare and Kathleen Sundet and came away with her 12th and 13th strikeouts to put the game away.

Egan struck out six over 11 innings, walked just one and had her share of clutch moments. The biggest may have been in the seventh inning when Cascade had the bases loaded with one out and Egan got a pair of ground balls to end the inning.

“It was just a great game from the get-go,” Ross said. “We had runners on in multiple innings, as did they. It was a very well fought game on both sides.”

In the end, Sellevold came out on top in the pitchers’ duel.

“She had our number,” said Monroe head coach Curt Eskeback.

“It was a real good defensive battle, and you know you have to score one run to win.”

At Sky River Park

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Monroe00000000000—041

Makinlee Sellevold and Alex Deaver. Alyssa Egan and Rachael Delamare. WP—Sellevold. LP—Egan. 2B—Michaela Johnson (M), Sellevold (C), Sage Andersen (C). Records—Cascade 6-2 league, 11-2 overall. Monroe 5-3, 7-7.