Throughout their storybook season and run to a provincial championship, the Moose Jaw U17 A Ice had their share of comeback wins, including a handful of final-inning rallies to secure victories.
But what they put together on Thursday morning against Ontario’s LaSalle Athletics at the Softball Canada national championship in Montreal? That was something else together.
The Ice scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 12-11 victory, improving to 2-1 in their round-robin pool and moving closer to securing a spot in the playoffs.
Moose Jaw roared out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, but saw LaSalle quickly recover -- three runs in the second and five in the third gave Ontario an 8-4 lead.
A Makena Simmons inside-the-park home run got two runs back for Moose Jaw in the fourth, and they’d get back within a pair with another run in the fifth. Ontario responded with three runs for an 11-8 lead through six, setting up the comeback.
Hailey Molde hit a lead-off double to start the bottom of the seventh, and after the next two hitters popped out, a Cassia Montgomery single brought home Molde with the first run of the inning.
Simmons singled to cap a 5-for-5 day that included four runs scored and was followed by base hits from Macy Litzenberger and Aubrey Clarke to bring home Simmons and Montgomery to tie the game 11-11.
An intentional walk to Ashley Breitkreuz loaded the bases and set the stage for Jasmine Kohl to be the hero -- a line drive over the first baseman and into right field brought home Litzenberger with the walk-off game-winning run, touching off a huge celebration.
Moose Jaw pounded out 20 hits in the contest, with Litzenberger going 3-for-5 with three runs, Molde 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI, Clarke 2-for-4 with three RBI, Breitkreuz 1-for-3 with a triple, run and three RBI and Brooklyn Miller 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Katie Newberry got the start and allowed two hits and struck out a pair in an inning of work, Simmons pitched an inning and surrendered three runs -- none earned -- on a hit. Ava Unser took over in the third and was hit by the majority of Moose Jaw’s eight errors, with only one of her eight runs allowed earned. She’d go five innings, scattering five hits, striking out a pair and walking three.
The Ice are back in action with a pair of games on Friday, as they face Ontario’s Whitby Eagles Aquanno in the morning and host Equipe Quebec Rak to close out their round robin.
