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BCLUW 2, Wilton 1

Wilton 000 000 1 - 1 3 2

BCLUW 000 000 2 - 2 5 0

Jamie Fisher (W, 33-2; 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB,14K) and Nicole Fisher. Rachel Brisker (L, 22-5; 7 IP, 5 H, 2, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 K) and Kara Proctor. HR Wilton: Grunder.

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Late game drama is embraced by the BCLUW softball team.

After all, it took a 16-inning substate victory over Dyersville-Beckman just to get to Fort Dodge and the state tournament.

For six innings Monday night, BCLUW's Class 2A state quarterfinal matchup with Wilton had all the elements of another multi-extra-inning contest as it turned into a pitcher's duel starring Comet ace Jamie Fisher and the Beavers' Rachel Brisker.

With one swing of the bat in the top of the seventh, Wilton's left-handed hitting Carlee Grunder ended Fisher's streak of 73 consecutive scoreless innings by belting a solo home run into the right field bleachers for the first run of the ballgame.

A resilient BCLUW took advantage of two errors in their bottom half of the seventh and left fielder Allison Sharp delivered a two-out, bases loaded walk-off single with the score tied at one, stealing a 2-1 victory away from Wilton.

"The girls came to the huddle before the seventh inning and said 'We have to believe in each other,'" said BCLUW head coach Dave Lee, who led the Comets to a runner-up finish in 2001. "They refocused and knew they had to reach down and find a way."

The Comets (35-4) will now meet Iowa City Regina (23-11) in Thursday's semifinals on Diamond 1 at 5:30 p.m.

Sophomore Kylee Button started the last at-bat rally with her second hit of the game and moved to second on a wild pitch. A throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Sarah McCoy allowed Button to score from second to even the game at 1-1.

The Comets had runners on second and third after Sarah Purcell reached on a fielding error, and courtesy of a sac bunt by Kendra Smith.

A safety squeeze attempt loaded the bases as Abby Miller avoided what appeared to be a tag by first basemen Nicole Broders on a bunt up the first base line. Lead-off hitter Nicole Fisher struck out on the following at-bat, setting up Sharp's game winning hit.

"Before I got up, my thoughts were 'Now is the time to get the job done,'" said Sharp, a junior left fielder. "I kept telling myself 'You can do it.'"

After pitching all 16 innings and finishing with 33 strikeouts in the1-0 win over Beckman, Fisher (33-2) scattered three hits and struck out 14 in her state debut.

"The home run Jamie gave up was not a mistake pitch," Lee said. "Grunder hit a tough pitch over the fence."

Brisker (22-5) allowed five hits and struck out 12 in the loss, while Grunder led the Beavers at the plate with a 2-for-3 night.

"Carlee had a nice home run and we thought that might be enough to win the game," said Wilton head coach Lance Pedersen, who has Wilton back in Fort Dodge for the first time since 1994. "They (BCLUW) did a nice job of not giving up. The seventh was a tough inning for us to overcome.

"Rachel has been a trooper all year. I'm extremely proud of how our girls battled."

Contact Ryan O'Hern at (515) 573-2141, or by e-mail at sports@messengernews.net