The freshman hurler knew there was a chance she might be summoned into Thursday’s Western C quarterfinal softball game. She just didn’t know the circumstances.

She never imagined the trouble she’d face in making her playoff debut. She entered the circle with the bases loaded, nobody out and the game on the line in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“I was just ready to pitch,” Chasse said. “Coach told me I was going in. I was just ready and I knew I had to throw strikes.”

Monmouth was clinging to an 8-5 lead in the final inning, but Dirigo was threatening. The Cougars loaded the bases and forced Monmouth coach Dave Kaplan to make a change. He brought in Chasse to replace starter Katie Canning.

It was a tough spot for the newcomer, but Chasse didn’t flinch. She got a ground out. Then struck out a batter before a grounder to Shannon Buzzell at second ended the threat and gave the Mustangs the 8-5 win.

“We didn’t capitalize with our hitting when we should,” Dirigo coach Sara Thurston said. “They definitely got a hold of some good pitches and made some great hits. Some days that’s what makes the difference.”

Monmouth (10-7) advances to Saturday’s 1 p.m. semifinal against top-ranked Madison. It’s the first time past the quarterfinals for many of the Mustangs, which lost to Hall-Dale last year.

“We’ve never been there,” Buzzell said. “So me and the other two seniors wanted this bad. It’s pretty cool to be in the semifinals.”

The game featured a number of significant defensive plays. Dirigo threw out three Monmouth runners at the plate. Buzzell made one of the biggest defensive plays for the Mustangs. With Dirigo threatening in the bottom of the sixth, a Kelsey Hutchins hit appeared destined to drop in shallow right-center field. Buzzell raced back and made a leaping catch to end the inning.

“I knew they would have scored if I didn’t catch that ball,” Buzzell said. “So I put my heart into it and I caught it. I knew I had a chance, but I’ve always been bad at balls over my head.”

Ellie Jasper and Katelyn Olsen were each in scoring position. Instead of a Hutchins hit and the lead going into the seventh, the Mustangs preserved the stalemate.

“I was sure that ball Kelsey hit was going to drop in,” Thurston said. “Their second baseman was all over that. It was an amazing play.”

Monmouth then came up in the seventh and took the lead with four hits. Freshman Hannah Anderson, who had three hits, including two doubles, sparked the inning with a double. Mikayla Cameron singled her home. Then two more came in on a Tia Day RBI single and an error that followed.

That lead appeared safe but Dirigo loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh. Ellen Wainwright singled, Gabby Scott walked and Kaicey Conant was hit by a pitch. That brought in Chasse, who had come on in relief before but not with the kind of pressure she faced Thursday.

“I just focused on throwing strikes and didn’t try to think about it,” Chasse said. “Once I got that first out, I was a little more ahead. I knew the team was behind me to field any balls.”

Canning allowed just five hits through six-plus innings and had allowed just a pair of hits over the final five innings. She finished with six strikeouts.

“I don’t think at any point we got our bats going,” Thurston said. “We had a few hits but there was nothing that we could continue on with and get the momentum going for us.”

Monmouth produced 13 hits off Olsen. In addition to three from Anderson, Haley Fletcher, Day, Caroline Bonenfant and Cameron each had a pair.

Dirigo took a 3-0 lead in the first when Megan Bradburry singled in a run and scored on an error. Then Hutchins made it 3-0 when she scored on a miscue. Monmouth tied the game in the second with a Wilson sacrifice fly. Then Fletcher plated a run on a fielder’s choice and Day singled in a run.

Dirigo took the lead back in the bottom of the second when Jasper scored on an Olsen sacrifice bunt. Monmouth rallied again for the 5-4 lead in the fourth. Bonenfant had an RBI single and Anderson followed with a double for the lead.

Dirigo (11-6) tied it in the bottom of the fourth when Olsen bunted home Jasper for a second time to make it 5-5.

kmills@sunjournal.com