SULTAN — Both sides got to celebrate Wednesday night after the softball doubleheader between Sultan and Granite Falls. The teams split with Sultan taking the first 7-5 and Granite Falls edging out the Turks 7-6 in 10 innings in the second game.
The game two victory secured the Cascade Conference championship for the previously undefeated Tigers. For Sultan it was significant to hand Granite Falls its first league loss and the Turks secured a berth in the district playoffs.
“We’ve been working hard,” Sultan coach Garth MacDicken said. “The girls played real well.”
In the Turks’ win, Shelby Jeffires scattered eight hits and fanned 16 Tigers, allowing only three earned runs on the way to the win. Bethany Kirkpatrick led the way with her bat, going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and RBI as well as a walk. Lauren Harding batted 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Tigers.
Game two started similarly to the first, with the Tigers jumping out to an early lead before a big inning put Sultan on top. The Tigers rallied to take the lead again thanks to a Kelsey Bechtholdt homer. Sultan sent the game to extra innings before succumbing in the 10th in the Turks’ first experience with the international tiebreaker.
Hailey Teter started the 10th inning on second and advanced on a wild pitch. Then a deep out plated her for the winning run. Lauren Harding held on in the bottom of the inning to secure the win after pitching 13 innings on the day.
Granite coach Jillian Piand was happy that her team clinched the league title against such a solid opponent with a pitcher — Shelby Jeffries — that pitched 17 innings.
“We knew coming in that’s a really good team, “ she said. “That’s a really good pitcher.”
The Turks were done in by seven errors in the second game, but feel this series will propel them into the postseason.
“We are looking forward to the playoffs,” MacDicken said. “We can hang with anybody. We just need to eliminate a couple mistakes.”
Sultan 7, Granite Falls 5
Game 1
At Sultan H.S.
Granite Falls1010300—581
Sultan000502x—761
Lauren Harding, Kasey Bergan (5) and Caitlinn Santiesteban. Shelby Jeffries and Rachel Kirkpatrick. WP—Jeffries (7-3). LP—Bergan (1-1) . 2B—Bergan (G) 1, Bethany Kirkpatrick (S) 1. 3B— Rachel Kirkpatrick (S) 1, Harding (G) 1. Records—Granite Falls 14-1 league, 15-2 overall. Sultan 10-3, 11-3.
Granite Falls 7, Sultan 6 (10)
Game 2
At Sultan H.S.
Granite Falls0120021001—7114
Sultan0000402000—647
Kasey Bergan, Lauren Harding (2) and Caitlinn Santiesteban, Kasey Bergan (2). Shelby Jeffries and Rachel Kirkpatrick. WP—Harding (15-1). LP—Jeffries (7-4). 2B—Taylor Arndt (G) 1, Bergan (S) 1, Rachel Kirkpatrick (S) 1. 3B—none HR—Kelsey Bechtholdt (G) 1, Jeffries (S) 1. Records—Granite Falls 15-1 league, 16-2 overall. Sultan 10-4, 11-4.
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