Pitching and defense was the top story in the first game of the second annual SCHEELS Softball All-Star Series. The Class B Senior Athlete of the Year Theresa Klinnert (Kindred-Richland) showed why she received such an honor. She started in the circle for the East and then came back in to finish the job later. She allowed just two hits and struck out eight in a solid eight inning performance to earn the win. Ingrid Swanson (Shanley) was also very sharp for the East. She allowed one earned run on four hits and struck out four in three innings.

Even though the West lost, dropping to 0-3 all-time in the series, their pitching and defense were brilliant. Amber Sickler (Dickinson) started and came back in later in the game. She allowed one run on three hits and struck out three. Mikka Haugeberg (Watford City) tossed two scoreless innings allowing two hits and picking up a strikeout. State champion Marisa Andrysiak was the tough luck loser. She threw three innings and allowed one run on three hits, while striking out two.

Pitching and defense held the offense at bay until the top of the seventh inning. Olivia Nihill (Jamestown) led the inning off with a single, then stole second base. Two batters later, Madison Kostelecky (Bismarck Century) lined a ball off the third baseman's glove and into left field for an RBI hit. 

Madison Foss (Central Cass) laced a double off the fence to kick off a rally for the East in the bottom of the seventh. Raegan Linster (Fargo Davies) drew a walk to set the stage for Laura Spurgeon (Hillsboro-Central Valley). Spurgeon rolled a ground ball between the first and second basemen for an RBI single to tie the game. Anna Erickson (Fargo North) was intentionally walked to bring up Anna Goffe (Fargo North) with the bases loaded and no one out.

Goffe hit a short fly to right that was tracked down by Alexis Gullett (Westhope-Newburg-Bottineau). Gullett popped up from her sliding catch and threw a strike to Jordie McNeilly (Dickinson), who tagged the tagging runner out at home to send the game to extra innings.

The eighth and ninth innings went by without much of a threat. Starting in the top of the 10th, the game switched to international tiebreaker rules. Each half inning starts with the last out of the previous inning on second base. 

Klinnert struck out the side in the top of the 10th to give the East a change in the bottom half. The bottom of the 10th looked like it was starting out with a game ending hit, instead a liner to third was turned into a double play.

Shay Weber (West Fargo Sheyenne) led off the bottom of the 11th with a single to send the international tiebreaker runner Kacee White (Valley City) to third. That allowed Kuntz to send the East fans home happy when she laced the first pitch into the right center gap to end the game.

The East now has a 3-0 lead all-time. The two teams will meet again Tuesday, June 5 in Mandan. A skills competition is set for 4 PM with the first pitch of game two set for 6 PM. You can listen to the game online on the NDSports Channel.

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