MONROE – After two hours and 40 minutes of scoreless softball, Britney Running and the surging Lake Stevens Vikings finally broke through.
Running, a sophomore, broke a scoreless tie when she slid safely into home plate following a passed ball. The sequence was the difference for Lake Stevens in its marathon 1-0, 12-inning upset victory Tuesday over previously unbeaten Monroe.
“I just ran! I just went for it. I was really excited,” the right fielder said.
Lake Stevens overcame five fielding errors and another excellent pitching performance by Monroe’s Jordan Birch (10 strikeouts) to prevail in the key Western Conference North Division battle at Park Place Field.
Pitchers Morgan Harris and Athea Surface combined for nine strikeouts and allowed just two hits for the Vikings (8-2 in division, 9-2 overall), who have won eight straight games since falling 5-0 against Monroe (10-1, 13-1) March 27 at Lake Stevens.
That defeat motivated Lake Stevens, which had several players limited by injuries the last time it faced Monroe.
“These guys are unbelievable,” Lake Stevens coach Sue Van Wyhe said of her team. “They have so much heart. They wanted it so badly.”
Both teams had numerous scoring opportunities, but key defensive efforts, excellent pitching and some poor offensive execution kept the scored knotted at 0-0 through 11 innings.
In accordance with the tiebreaker rule, starting in the 11th inning each team began with a runner on second base. After a scoreless 11th in which both squads moved a runner to third base but failed to convert, Running was on second base to start the top of the 12th. Danie Birklid’s one-out sacrifice bunt moved Running to third. With two out and a 1-0 count on pinch hitter Annie Thomas, Birch’s pitch tipped off of Monroe catcher Briar Stanley’s mitt.
As the ball trickled to the backstop, Running zoomed home and slid across the plate ahead of Stanley’s desperation throw to Birch. Lake Stevens exploded in celebration.
Surface pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the 12th to end it.
“Oh my gosh! It felt so great. I’m so pumped,” said Running.
First-place Monroe suffered its first defeat after 13 straight victories. Bearcats coach Curt Eskeback said Lake Stevens always seems to compete well against his squad.
“Both teams have good athletes and they’re very competitive. They always play us tough,” he said.
Monroe entered the game averaging more than seven runs and nine hits per game, but the pitching combo of Harris and Surface shut down the Bearcats’ bats. Harris started and Surface (5-1) pitched the final 72/3 innings.
“It’s just a great combination for those two,” Van Wyhe said. “They complement each other so well.”
Despite the loss, Monroe clinched a District 1 playoff berth when Cascade lost to Everett. With the league schedule winding down, Monroe and Lake Stevens will fight to secure the division’s No. 1 seed for the Class 4A district tournament. The top four 4A Wesco North teams advance to district.
Lake Stevens plays host to Marysville-Pilchuck on Thursday. Monroe plays a non-division makeup game today against Meadowdale at Park Place Field.
At Park Place Field
Lake Stevens000000000001-15 5
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Harris, Surface (5) and Thibodeaux. Birch and Stanley. WP-Surface (5-1). LP-Birch (13-1). 3B-Personius (LS). Records-Lake Stevens 8-2 in division, 9-2 overall. Monroe 10-1, 13-1.
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