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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, May 17, 2008 SOFTBALL: Marysville-Pilchuck stuns Monroe in semifinals By Jesse Geleynse Herald Writer MONROE -- Marysville-Pilchuck's Riley Fritz seems to have the Monroe Bearcats' number. For the second time in two weeks, the Tomahawks freshman outdueled Monroe ace Jordan Birch to give M-P a 1-0 victory over the the Bearcats at Skykomish River Park in Monroe. Friday's victory earned Fritz and her teammates a berth in next week's state tournament and a trip to today's 3 p.m. 4A District 1 championship game against Jackson. Monroe plays Cascade in a loser-out contest at 1 p.m. today and must win twice to qualify for state. "I'm really excited," Fritz said of qualifying for the state tournament. "I think it will be fun and I know that we worked hard all season and we deserve it." Marysville-Pilchuck, which beat Monroe 1-0 on May 1, overcame an up-and-down regular season in which it was 9-7 to finish third among 4A teams in Wesco North play and to qualify for the state tournament for the first time since 2004. "At the beginning of the season there were a lot of question marks," said M-P coach KT Allyn. "We're young and we had a lot of mechanical and technical issues to work out, but what has got them this far is their teamwork. "Talent does take you a long way, but wins are sweeter when you get to coach a group who works so well together." Birch was perfect through three innings as she overpowered the Tomahawks, allowing four hits and finishing with 14 strikeouts. But Fritz was more impressive, allowing just two hits -- both infield singles to Birch -- while walking three and fanning five. "I knew it was going to be a tough battle," Fritz said. "I knew I would have to work harder to match up with (Birch)." Marysville-Pilchuck scored the only run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Kristina Sherriff broke up Birch's perfect game with a one-out single and advanced to second when Monroe's first baseman misplayed a groundball by Skyler Peterson. Megan Rollings followed with a hard ground ball up the middle to score Sherriff and give M-P the lead. "You have to score one to win," said Monroe coach Curt Eskeback. "We make an error and they capitalize on it -- that's the game of fastpitch." The Tomahawks had a chance to extend their lead in the sixth inning when Sherriff connected for a one-out single. With two outs, Birch walked Rollings and Anna West to load the bases before getting a strikeout to end the inning. The Bearcats left runners at second and third to end the bottom of the first inning for their only real scoring threat. Birch was caught stealing after her third-inning single and Fritz induced a 4-6-3 double play after walking Briar Stanley to lead off the seventh. "It's a new day," Eskeback said. "We've had a great season, we've got great kids, good athletes, we just have to win two tomorrow." At Skykomish River Park M-P 000 100 0 -- 1 4 0 Monroe 000 000 0 -- 0 2 1 Fritz and Perrine. Birch and Stanley. WP--Fritz. LP--Stanley. Records--M-P 12-7. Monroe 17-3. Jackson 8, Stanwood 0: At Monroe, Erin Feeney picked up the win in relief and batted 3-for-4 with four RBI as Jackson qualified for the state tournament and earned a berth in today's District 1 championship game against Marysville-Pilchuck. Feeney hit a go-ahead solo home run in Jackson's first-round contest -- a 3-2 victory over Cascade -- before earning the win in relief in that game as well. "I got to give credit to Feeney," said Jackson coach Mike Moran. "She came in both games and shut the door on them." At Skykomish River Park Stanwood 000 000 0 -- 0 6 2 Jackson 230 030 x -- 8 6 0 Jackman, Feeney (2) and York. Stillman, Jeans (3) and Bingham. WP--Feeney. LP--Stillman. 2B--Feeney (J). Records--Stanwood 13-7. Jackson 19-3. First round results Monroe 1, Kamiak 0 Marysville-Pilchuck 3, Mountlake Terrace 2 Stanwood 11, Shorewood 1 Jackson 3, Cascade 2 Consolation results Cascade 9, Shorewood 5 Mountlake Terrace 5, Kamiak 1

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