GRAFTON – They may be young, but they are playing beyond their years in big moments.

Down to their last three outs, Carrington Cardinal Softball continued their unlikely run in the B Region II Softball Tournament Monday with a tying run in the seventh and three go-ahead runs in the eighth inning to eliminate Pembina County North 5-2 at the Grafton Parks & Recreation Softball Diamond.

Carrington was forced into that loser out game with a 17-0 loss to eighth-ranked Thompson.

Thompson 17, Carrington 0 (5)

Thompson started its aggressive hitting with seven runs on seven hits in the first inning.  The Tommies (16-7) followed with two in the second, four in the third and four more in the fourth.

Cindy Eliason was four-for-four with a two-run home run and four RBI for Thompson.

Carrington (6-8) was limited to one hit, a single by Brynn Smith.

Loser Out: Carrington 5, Pembina County North 2 (8)

Down 2-1 heading into the top of the seventh, Carrington (7-8) tied the game on the first home run of the season by winning pitcher Calleigh Hewitt.  Her hit just cleared the left field fence.

After PCN (9-6) didn’t score in their seventh, Maara Kutz led off the Cardinal eighth with a double.  She came home on an error by the Grizzlies’ Colbie Furstenau.  Hewitt and Katie Allmaras doubled in the last two runs.

Carrington, in the third season of the school’s softball program, can make its first state tournament with a win on Tuesday.  The Cardinals will face the loser of the region championship game between top-ranked May-Port CG and Thompson.  Coverage will begin on Tuesday at around 4:45 PM on The Cardinal 1600/100.1.