SOFTBALL: New Athens outlasts Pinckneyville #204 in 9-inning semifinal

The #204 Lady Tigers had their chance to win Tuesday's SIJHSAA Class S softball semifinal in the bottom of the seventh inning, but went hitless for seven batters in a row to end the game, allowing New Athens to escape with a 7-5 victory to advance to Thursday's championship.

The Lady Jackets got on the board first as Danika White led off the game with a double and later scored to make it 1-0.

A pair of New Athens errors in the bottom of the inning proved costly, as both of those base runners ended up scoring in a three-run frame for the Lady Tigers. Aubrey Bruns drove in Megan Engelhardt with a sacrifice fly, then Miranda Skorch plated Lauren Jackson (single) and Taylor Buza with a two-out, two-run double giving Pinckneyville a 3-1 lead.

New Athens went in front in the top of the third after hits by Lindsey Poirot (single) and Julia Drake and a Lady Tigers error resulted in three runs for the Jackets, but #204 got one back and tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the inning when Anna Pestka singled and scored on an RBI double by Bruns.

The two teams each added a run in the sixth when New Athens had three singles and Pinckneyville got an RBI base hit by Scorch. The Tigers' defense kept them in the game, throwing a runner out at home in the sixth inning and turning a double play in the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, Pestka and Bruns got on with two-out singles and Jackson smoked a ground ball to the New Athens shortstop before being nipped at first base for the final out, leaving the potential winning run at third base. #204 wouldn't get another hit the rest of the way.

A five-hit inning for New Athens in the ninth put them ahead to stay with Drake's triple highlighting the rally. Both runs scored with two outs after the Lady Tigers turned another double play, nailing a runner at third base trying to tag up on a fly ball to right.

Pestka (2-4, R), Bruns (2-3, 2 RBI, 2B, SAC), Jackson (1-4, R), Buza (2-4, 2 R) and Skorch (2-4, 3 RBI, 2B) hit safely for the Lady Tigers. Engelhard and Cheyenne Pauley combined on the pitching duties for #204, with each making a pair of appearances in the circle during the game.

Pinckneyville #204 will play for third place on Thursday at 1 p.m. in Coulterville. New Athens plays for a state title at 3 p.m.