JUDA - Monticello senior Clare Gietzel's speed came in handy in the 11th inning against Juda-Albany.
Gietzel reached on a bloop single and stole second. When the throw from Juda-Albany catcher Jessica Crull wasn't caught, Gietzel raced to third. She scored the game-winning run on a passed ball to give the Ponies a thrilling 2-1 win over Juda-Albany in 11 innings Tuesday. With the win, Monticello (16-2, 8-1 Six Rivers East) clinched at least a share of the conference championship.
"I know I have been struggling the last couple of games," Gietzel said. "My heart was just racing. We don't want to share conference with Argyle. We have worked very hard for this. The hard work has paid off. We had to overcome some things that didn't go our way."
The Ponies were 2-for-11 hitting with runners in scoring position and left 12 runners on base. Juda-Albany senior ace pitcher Tabatha Davis proved up the challenge. She pitched 11 innings and gave up two runs on 10 hits. She struck out six and the Panthers' defense was solid. Davis got the Ponies to ground out 21 times.
"She (Davis) has been doing that since middle school," Monticello coach Duane Garrison said.
Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis was proud of the way his team battled.
"I told the kids it was a very good effort," Davis said. "Unfortunately, in a game like that someone has to lose. We just ended up on the short end of the stick."
Davis said Crull as a catcher did everything she is taught to block the pitch Gietzel scored on.
"It just went a little left of her and she couldn't reach it in time," Bill Davis said. "We just had a fast runner who is a little quicker. That is what she does."
Juda-Albany (15-4, 4-4) looked to be in a prime position to tie the game or win it in a walk-off in the bottom of the 11th. Monticello relief pitcher Courtney Leuzinger walked Crull and Sara Jordan. Duane Garrison then brought starter Claire Bruns back in to pitch. Tabatha Davis singled to load the bases with no outs. Bruns got Katlynn Rhyner to ground into a fielder's choice at the plate. Juda-Albany's Molly Marass hit a slow roller in front of home plate. Monticello senior catcher Marissa Berg picked up the ball and stepped on the plate. Bruns then got Katlynn Steinmann to ground to Jordan Garrison for the final out.
"It's a really good feeling," Duane Garrison said of winning at least a share of the conference championship for the second straight year. "It was one of our goals. I'm proud of them. As much yelling as I do, they seem to respond.
"I told Marissa that is the smartest play she has ever made. For a catcher to know the situation, it's always a good sign."
Leuzinger pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings to get the win. She struck out one and walked five. Bruns pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up one run on four hits.
"We have two good pitchers," Garrison said. "I kicked myself last time for not using both of them. It was a change of pace."
Monticello senior Brooke Bidlingmaier went 3-for-5 to lead the Ponies. Junior Alyssah Kubly went 2-for-4 with one RBI on a single to left in the sixth and Gietzel was 2-for-6.
The Panthers mounted a comeback in the bottom of the sixth. Juda-Albany's Alexis Goecks singled and stole second. Senior Morganne Goecks laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her sister to third. Crull then knocked in the game-tying run on a bunt to tie the game at 1.
The Ponies had golden opportunities to take the lead in the eighth and 10th. Jordan Garrison singled up the middle leading off the eighth. Leuzinger laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Garrison into scoring position. Junior Sam DeVoe singled and Kubly walked to load the bases with two outs. Davis then got freshman Jessie Garrison to ground out to first baseman Jordan to wiggle out of the jam.
In the 10th, Monticello's Berg singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. DeVoe walked to put two on with just one out. Davis worked out of the jam by striking out Kubly and getting Jessie Garrison to ground out to Juda-Albany second baseman Riley Adkins to end the threat.
"I think she was hitting her spots and keeping them off-balance," Bill Davis said of Tabatha. "She came up with some big pitches to get out of jams. That is what she has been known for this year."
Gietzel reached on a bloop single and stole second. When the throw from Juda-Albany catcher Jessica Crull wasn't caught, Gietzel raced to third. She scored the game-winning run on a passed ball to give the Ponies a thrilling 2-1 win over Juda-Albany in 11 innings Tuesday. With the win, Monticello (16-2, 8-1 Six Rivers East) clinched at least a share of the conference championship.
"I know I have been struggling the last couple of games," Gietzel said. "My heart was just racing. We don't want to share conference with Argyle. We have worked very hard for this. The hard work has paid off. We had to overcome some things that didn't go our way."
The Ponies were 2-for-11 hitting with runners in scoring position and left 12 runners on base. Juda-Albany senior ace pitcher Tabatha Davis proved up the challenge. She pitched 11 innings and gave up two runs on 10 hits. She struck out six and the Panthers' defense was solid. Davis got the Ponies to ground out 21 times.
"She (Davis) has been doing that since middle school," Monticello coach Duane Garrison said.
Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis was proud of the way his team battled.
"I told the kids it was a very good effort," Davis said. "Unfortunately, in a game like that someone has to lose. We just ended up on the short end of the stick."
Davis said Crull as a catcher did everything she is taught to block the pitch Gietzel scored on.
"It just went a little left of her and she couldn't reach it in time," Bill Davis said. "We just had a fast runner who is a little quicker. That is what she does."
Juda-Albany (15-4, 4-4) looked to be in a prime position to tie the game or win it in a walk-off in the bottom of the 11th. Monticello relief pitcher Courtney Leuzinger walked Crull and Sara Jordan. Duane Garrison then brought starter Claire Bruns back in to pitch. Tabatha Davis singled to load the bases with no outs. Bruns got Katlynn Rhyner to ground into a fielder's choice at the plate. Juda-Albany's Molly Marass hit a slow roller in front of home plate. Monticello senior catcher Marissa Berg picked up the ball and stepped on the plate. Bruns then got Katlynn Steinmann to ground to Jordan Garrison for the final out.
"It's a really good feeling," Duane Garrison said of winning at least a share of the conference championship for the second straight year. "It was one of our goals. I'm proud of them. As much yelling as I do, they seem to respond.
"I told Marissa that is the smartest play she has ever made. For a catcher to know the situation, it's always a good sign."
Leuzinger pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings to get the win. She struck out one and walked five. Bruns pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up one run on four hits.
"We have two good pitchers," Garrison said. "I kicked myself last time for not using both of them. It was a change of pace."
Monticello senior Brooke Bidlingmaier went 3-for-5 to lead the Ponies. Junior Alyssah Kubly went 2-for-4 with one RBI on a single to left in the sixth and Gietzel was 2-for-6.
The Panthers mounted a comeback in the bottom of the sixth. Juda-Albany's Alexis Goecks singled and stole second. Senior Morganne Goecks laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her sister to third. Crull then knocked in the game-tying run on a bunt to tie the game at 1.
The Ponies had golden opportunities to take the lead in the eighth and 10th. Jordan Garrison singled up the middle leading off the eighth. Leuzinger laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Garrison into scoring position. Junior Sam DeVoe singled and Kubly walked to load the bases with two outs. Davis then got freshman Jessie Garrison to ground out to first baseman Jordan to wiggle out of the jam.
In the 10th, Monticello's Berg singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. DeVoe walked to put two on with just one out. Davis worked out of the jam by striking out Kubly and getting Jessie Garrison to ground out to Juda-Albany second baseman Riley Adkins to end the threat.
"I think she was hitting her spots and keeping them off-balance," Bill Davis said of Tabatha. "She came up with some big pitches to get out of jams. That is what she has been known for this year."
