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Kennedy puts an end to Cascade Christian's season By TED BURNHAM for the Mail Tribune Cascade mistakes helped John F. Kennedy of Mt. Angel score four runs in one inning and defeat the Challengers, 5-3, to advance to the quarterfinals of the state tournament. Up against the Tri-River Conference player of the year, pitcher Melissa Stewart, the Challengers (16-11 overall) managed to out-hit Kennedy, 5-4, but stranded five runners on base and committed six errors. "We kind of beat ourselves," Cascade coach Wally Nye said. "Our pitcher (Laural Kelley) pitched very well today. The (Kennedy) runs were unearned." It was a string of third-inning mistakes that brought down the Challengers. Cascade Christian led, 1-0, going into the third when Kelley hit Maricela Arce with a pitch. The next batter, freshman Theresa Ebner, hit a single, and freshman Noel Talbot went to first on an error to load the bases. Kelley walked sophomore Carli Seiler to score Arce's stand-in, Amy Predeek, and keep the bases loaded with no outs. Sophomore Karen Eder's fielder's choice allowed Ebner to score after Challenger catcher Rusti Mosser was unable to grab a high toss from shortstop Whitney Brookins. Kennedy's Mandi Beyer bunted and Talbot was tagged out at home to give Cascade its first out of the inning. With one out, Miryka Huddleston hit a single to score Seiler and Eder and put Kennedy up, 4-1. The next batter, Michelle Day, hit into a double play to retired the side. Kennedy coach Darryl Hockenberry told the team that Wednesday's victory was the "icing on the cake." He said another win would add "candles" to cake. "They played really well today," Hockenberry said. "We came off a very emotional win just to get to the state playoffs. This is great." Kennedy faces Dayton in the quarterfinals. The game will be played Friday at Kennedy in Mt. Angel. "This is the best season our school has ever had in softball," Stewart said. "We are making history." "The girls from Cascade Christian played awesome," she added "It was a tough game." Cascade players said they were disappointed the season had ended, but pleased with their play. "I am very proud of how (we played)," said Kelley, who pitched a four-hitter and hit a double in her final high school game. "We pulled together and we played our best." The Challengers struck in the second inning when freshman Chelsea Winner hit a single to score Natalie Dicus, who had reached base on an error. Kelley led off the fourth inning with a double and Mosser was walked and stole second. With one out, freshman Nicole Plummer hit a double to score Kelley and Mosser, but it would be the Challenger's final two runs of the season. Kennedy added a run in the fifth when two Cascade Christian outfielders ran into each other trying to catch a fly ball off Huddleston. The mistake scored Eder to give Kennedy its final run. Brookins, who graduates in two weeks, said the season was one she will remember. "I was very surprised we did so well," she said. "At the beginning of the season, we were searching for players." Kennedy ........................................... 004 010 0 - 5 4 2 Cascade Christian ........................... 010 200 0 - 3 5 6 Kelley and Mosser; Stewart and Arce. W - Stewart. L - Kelley. 2B - K: Talbot, CC: Kelley, Plummer. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.