SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT — Selinsgrove’s Drew Pagana opened Thursday’s Section 3 elimination game with a single into left field. Then Mya Callender connected with a single in the same direction.

Then another single by Capri Moser.

It was a quick jolt for the Selinsgrove Major softball team against Montoursville at South Williamsport that may have caught Montoursville a little off guard to open the game, riding the early momentum to a 7-3 win.

Selinsgrove advances to face Athens on Friday in the Section 3 championship game, a rematch of the winners’ bracket final. Selinsgrove would need to win two games to claim the title.

“I told them before the game started ‘hey, we got to start hot.’ The problem is we start hot, then we get cold and we get a lead, then we relax a little bit,” Selinsgrove manager Dale Barge said.

Brianna Gray reached on a walk with one out for Selinsgrove in the top of the first inning before a big hit by Taylor Trotto dropped in right field on an error, allowing two runs to come in, giving Selinsgrove a quick 4-0 lead.

Montoursville would respond with a run of its own in the bottom of the first inning. Averie Sheleman led off with a single into left field and stole second base. A fielder’s choice by Sophie Hoffman drove in Sheleman to make it a 4-1 deficit.

Montoursville scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it a 5-2 deficit. 

In the fifth inning, Frankie Finicle reached after being hit and got to third after a grounder and passed ball moved her, but back-to-back strikeouts prevented her from being able to score. 

“I had to light a little fire under their rear ends there and do a little hollering,” Barge said. “They didn’t quit after that; they know when Coach Dale yells it’s time to go. I don’t holler at them much because they’re very well coached, they know I believe in them. I just told them hey I can’t want it more than you want it, if you don’t want it, we can go home now. It turned them around and they played well.”

Montoursville has a talented lineup up and down the roster but their bats were held somewhat quiet as Montoursville managed just five hits, all singles, as Brianna Gray relieved Carri Moser in the second inning and limited Montoursville from there.

“When we went out in the sixth, I said three outs and a handshake. Those couple runs in the top (of sixth) were big,” Barge said. “We knew we had a four-run lead to play with there. Bri wasn’t feeling the best tonight, we had to put all the weight on her. Bri’s Bri and we’re going to get Bri and when it comes down to it, she’s a gamer and she’s gonna get it. She went in there, took charge and we got (the win).”

In the sixth inning, Selinsgrove tacked on two insurance runs for some breathing room. Trotto reached base by being hit by a pitch and was safe at second on a fielder’s choice by Alayna Beierschmitt when Montoursville tried to get her out, but pulled off the bag on the play. With bases loaded when Rozalyn Fern was walked with just one out, Hailey Kurtz came through with a big two-RBI single on a hard hit into left field to make it a 7-3 lead going into the bottom of the inning.

For Selinsgrove, they get a rematch with Athens, who knocked them into the elimination bracket a day prior. And Barge knows his team is confident in their abilities and can play well against Athens.”

“Regardless of who’s on the mound, we have a solid 11 girls here, minus the one who’s hurt. We’re not afraid to let them hit the ball. We know our defense can make the plays as long as their heads are in it and not in the clouds,” Barge said. “We had our heads in the clouds a little it in the box here, half swinging. I wasn’t happy with that. But we said at end of day hey, there’s seven girls behind you. You pitch the ball, let them hit it and they’ll pick you up.

“They pick them up every time. Two years ago, we were here, we won sectionals and they wanted to run it back this year and I said hey this is it; this is all you can do,” Barge continued. “Now we have to do it the hard way and beat Athens twice, but we’re up for the challenge.”

MAJOR SOFTBALL

Section 3 Tournament

Selinsgrove;410;002 — 7-11-0

Montoursville;100;200 — 3-5-0

Capri Moser, Brianna Gray (2) and Chloe Shemory. Averie Sheleman and Avery Bolsar.

WP: Moser. LP: Sheleman. S: Gray.

Selinsgrove: Drew Pagana, 2-for-4, run; Mya Callender 2-for-3, 2 RBIs, run; Shemory 1-for-3, double, RBI; Taylor Trotto 1-for-2, 2 RBIs, run; Hailey Kurtz 1-for-3, 2 RBIs.

Montoursville: Sheleman, 1-for-3, run; Bolsar, 1-for-1, run.