EVERETT — It was a game coaches, players and fans seemed to want to last forever.
Even the umpires, who delayed the contest about 30 minutes while discussing a rule interpretation, seemed to want to keep Saturday’s 4A District baseball playoff opener between Cascade and Monroe going.
In a back-and-forth battle that needed two extra innings to decide, a two-out, two-run single by Justin Folz put the Bearcats ahead for good in the top of the ninth and Monroe held on to defeat the Bruins 4-2 in a loser-out game.
“It’s that will to win. Some guys have it, some don’t. I think both teams had it today,” Cascade coach Scott Stencil said. “Unfortunately, with that ninth inning, they were able to come up with that huge hit. … Really, the difference was they were able to get one clutch hit that we weren’t able to get. That’s baseball. … It’s tough to be on this side of it, but it’s a great game.”
The Bruins struggled against Monroe starter Daniel Murphy, who allowed just two hits through the first six innings. Cascade finally got a run in the seventh on an RBI double by Ryan Colvin, tying the game 1-1 with nobody out. After an intentional walk to load the bases and a strikeout, things got interesting.
Nik Soros reached on a fielders choice, prompting Monroe head coach Eric Chartrand to come out of the dugout and begin a discussion with the umpires, Stencil and, ultimately, Everett School District Athletic Director Robert Polk.
“The coach from Cascade made a substitution for one of his players (Soros, in the sixth inning),” Chartrand said. “That player came back in the game … but they never reported it, so it was an ineligible hitter at the dish. Once he hit the ball in play, that batter should have been out, and the result of the play was an out and we should have been out of that inning. They did their conference and made a decision that that wasn’t the ruling.”
The umpires ruled the result of the play, a Cascade runner forced out at home, stood and Murphy went back to the mound — and struck out the final batter of the inning on three pitches.
“Man he was on today,” Stencil said of Murphy, who threw 114 pitches. “We ran into a tough guy today.”
“There was a lot of interruptions, I was really proud of the kids to stay focused,” Chartrand said. “We had a lot of things that didn’t go our way and we were able to battle through it. I was really proud of them. They kept their composure and did a good job.”
Stencil said he was glad the game didn’t end in the seventh after the controversial call.
“I’m happy the game continued. It felt like it should have gone extras,” Stencil said. “It could’ve gone 15 innings easily. I’m happy that didn’t affect the outcome of the game.”
Monroe (10-10 overall) and Cascade exchanged runs in the eighth before Folz put Monroe ahead for good with his two-strike single. Folz was 2-for-3 in the game.
“He’s a sophomore, on a big stage,” Chartrand said. “He’s an excellent young player and he’s going to do a lot of great things here. But to step up on that stage is pretty incredible.”
Tyler Koontz came in to close the game for Monroe, but Cascade loaded the bases in the ninth. Koontz got a flyout with two outs to clinch the victory for the Bearcats.
“I think that sometimes I’m more nervous than the boys are,” Chartrand said. “But I was really happy with them. They kept their composure and really battled.”
Andrew Zimmerman went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Noah Miller (2-for-3) added an RBI and a run scored for Monroe, which moves on to face undefeated Wesco 4A champion Snohomish at 4 p.m. Monday. The Bearcats hope to follow Saturday’s thriller with another victory.
“Emotional games like this are sometimes difficult to follow,” Chartrand said. “But this group wants to continue playing. They really like each other. They have this family mentality and they just want to stay together. They’re going to be out here fighting.”
Senior Austin Piorini was 1-for-3 with a run scored for Cascade, which ended its season with a 10-11 record. Juniors Matthew Butler and Colvin drove in runs for the Bruins, who faced Monroe in their district opener for the third consecutive season.
“It’s been a crazy three years. They 10-runned us two years ago, we 10-runned them last year and then this game goes nine (innings), of course,” Stencil said. “Two evenly matched teams. Coach and I talked before the game about how our seasons have gone. They’re very similar seasons.”
The Cascade coach praised senior Bryson Blackmore, who found himself in a pitcher’s duel with Murphy.
“Bryson, he’s been huge for us all year,” Stencil said. “Every first game of every series he’s gone six or seven and today he got into the ninth. He just throws it over the plate and makes his speeds and guys have a tough time with it. … He’s found a way to do that consistently this year and it’s been fun to watch. He never gives in, no matter what. He went toe-for-toe with their guy, who did the same thing.”
At Cascade H.S.
Monroe010000012—4103
Cascade000000110—261
Daniel Murphy, Tyler Koontz (9) and Eric Pino. Bryson Blackmore, Austin Pinorini (9) and Pinorini, Michael Carter (9). WP—Murphy. LP—Blackmore. S—Koontz. 2B—Ryan Colvin (C). Records—Monroe 10-10. Cascade 8-12.
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