WARDSVILLE, Mo. - The first game of the Class 2 District 9 Tournament between California and Russellville featured three separate three-run or more leads that were erased, one game-tying home run in the top of the seventh inning and a walk-off win in the bottom of the 10th.
The Lady Indians were on the good side of the back and forth marathon at the Falcons Athletic Complex Tuesday night, defeating California 11-10 on a walk-off single with the bases-loaded.
"They knew we were going to have last at-bat," Russellville head coach Trisha Volkart said. "This team, all season long, they believe in themselves. They just took it and dealt with it and said we have to score more now."
After two and a half extra innings of scoreless ball, Russellville's McKendra Fischer lined a shot down the left field line for a ground-rule double with one out. Two-straight walks loaded the bases and Madie Bungart's ground ball deflected off the pitcher to allow Fischer to score the winning run.
"Coming back after a team ties it up when you have a pretty big lead will wear on anybody," Volkart said. "I made sure to tell them to have quality at-bats, making sure they're swinging at good pitches."
The Lady Indians held a 10-7 lead heading in to the seventh inning, and the Lady Pintos had already fought back from a four-run deficit earlier in the game.
California's Annastyn Trimble was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, then was out at second when Paige Johnson hit into a fielder's choice to the third baseman. Samantha Beckham singled during the next at-bat, and after a strike out, Braleigh Johnson stepped to the plate with a chance to tie it with one swing.
Johnson sent a 1-1 pitch to straight away center and the ball carried just over the 200-foot sign to tie the game on a three-run home run.
"At first I didn't think it was out, but as she kept getting closer to the fence, I knew it had made it," California head coach Darrell Bolin said. "What an exciting way to tie a game up. She put a good move on the ball and it just went."
Before the madness happened late in the game, both teams had huge momentum swings. Russellville jumped out to an early 4-0 lead through three innings, then California scored five runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to take a 7-4 advantage.
The Lady Indians pushed two runs in the first inning with one out, then two more in the third inning after stranding two base-runners in the second.
Lindsey Brandt was hit by a pitch, Fischer singled to left field and Taylor Case doubled to plate the two runs in the first. In the third, Case doubled to score Fischer, and Brooke Kremer scored Fischer off a sacrifice fly to right field.
"Great at-bats," Volkart said. "They put the ball in play well, one through nine."
Case was 5-for-5 from the plate with five RBI and two runs scored to lead the offense, and Fischer was 3-for-4 with five runs scored and two walks.
The fourth inning is when the Lady Pintos made their move. They sent nine batters to plate, scoring five.
Kaylee Vanloo and Destiny Cook walked to start the rally, and after a strike out, Paige Johnson brought one run home when she reached first base on an error. Beckham scored Cook for the second run when she singled to right field, and Jenna Reynolds grounded out and Braleigh Johnson's double to left field plated two more runs.
Ashlyn Moore's single during the next at-bat scored Braleigh Johnson to give California the 5-4 lead.
"Even before the game I told them to go out and have fun," Bolin said. "I said there's absolutely no pressure on us to do anything. Just go out and have fun. They just started clicking."
California scored two more runs in the fifth inning to extend its lead to 7-4, but the Lady Indians fought back in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to regain the 10-7 lead. Cutting the California lead to 7-5 in the fifth, Russellville used a five-spot to push its lead to 10-7 after six innings.
Russellville will face the No. 1 seed Blair Oaks today at 4:30 p.m. in Wardsville.
"That's definitely going to be a tough game," Volkart said. "They're a very strong team. They have very few losses on the season so we're going to have to come out and play our a-game."