Posse wraps state Legion bid with extra-inning win

Pullman Posse battled for 12 innings Monday before downing Montesano 11-9 to notch a win in the state AA legion finals at Mount Vernon. The final game marked a positive note for the Posse team which sustained two losses at the start of the state run.

"It was one of those games where we did all the little things right. It all came together," Coach Mike Kinkade said.

Posse and Montesano locked up at 6-6 over five innings and later notched it up to 8-8. They scored four runs in the top of the 12th inning and then stopped a Montesano comeback bid at two runs to take the title.

Jake Wells pitched the first five innings, and Conner Kinkade took over for a five-frame duel when each team tried to crack a lead and hold it. Logan Gingerich, who has been the team's closer, finished out the last game and the season.

Posse totaled 15 hits in the battle. Coach Kinkade said one of the key hits was a clutch RBI single by Chris Parrish to keep the game on the table.

One of the key defensive plays was executed by Hunter Mosebar who scooped up a two-out Montesano hit in left field and threw a shot to catcher Pete Schultheis to get the runner who would have had the walk-off score.

Posse in the first game at Mt. Vernon sustained a 10-0 loss from the host, and they were shut out again 9-0 by Walla Walla, the defending AA champions, in the Sunday pool round.

"In both of those games we faced some pitching we haven't seen before," Kinkade noted.

He added Posse overall marked a successful season this year with a young team for the AA division and can expect to improve next year.