Trailing Tamaqua by a run heading to the bottom of the sixth inning Monday, Pottsville needed somebody to step up.
Enter seniors Jolyn Rodrian, Morgan Alisauckas and Gabby Bentz.
All three delivered key hits as the Crimson Tide scored twice to edge the Blue Raiders 2-1 in a Schuylkill League Division I game at the 16th Street Complex.
"We stressed that good teams have to find a way to come back,'' Pottsville coach Chuck Rinaldo said. "Our kids found a way to come back today.''
With the win, the Tide (11-5, 9-0 D-I) moved another step closer to the division title. They've already clinched a spot in next week's four-team Schuylkill League playoffs.
For most of the afternoon, though, a potential upset was brewing.
Tamaqua played Pottsville to a scoreless draw through five innings, then broke through in the top of the sixth.
Lynn Kistler walked, and Carly Sassaman (2-for-3) singled. Kistler, though, got caught in a rundown and was tagged out trying to go first-to-third.
Sassaman took second on the play and Merranda Zehner entered as a pinch-runner. One out later, Taylor Fritz belted an RBI double off the left-field fence to give her team a 1-0 lead.
"They played fantastic. That was the best defensive game I think I've seen them play all year,'' Tamaqua coach Jillian Barron said. "They came in hungry considering the way the last game (against Pottsville) went. They really wanted this one. We have a sixth-inning curse; it's been killing us all year. ... They played their hearts out today.''
When they met April 14 in Tamaqua, the teams played to a 2-2 tie before Pottsville exploded for an eight-run sixth inning en route to a 10-3 victory.
The Tide rallied in the sixth inning again Monday. Rodrian led off with a line single to right-center, and Alisauckas dropped a perfect bunt down the first-base line, legging it out for a hit.
"Initially, we looked at possibly bunting Jolyn Rodrian, but a senior stepped up, got a nice single, started the inning,'' Rinaldo said. "Morgan Alisauckas, got to give her credit. Everybody probably thought she was going to swing away, but a team situation there.
"She looked at me, we both nodded at one another, and she got that bunt down for us,'' he added. "She knew what she had to do. She knew we had to play for a run there. Then we put the ball in play and made things happen.''
One out later, the runners moved to second and third on a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Elise Horvath hit a chopper to third base that was misplayed, loading the bases.
On the first delivery to Bentz, a wild pitch allowed Rodrian to score the tying run. Bentz then hit a one-hopper that glanced off the pitcher's glove and rolled toward shortstop. She ended up with an RBI single as Alisauckas scored the go-ahead run.
Pottsville's Sara Tobin retired Tamaqua in the seventh to finish a five-hitter. She struck out seven and walked one.
Pottsville can now turn its attention to completing an undefeated league season. The Tide host Jim Thorpe today and entertain Panther Valley on Wednesday for a doubleheader.
Meanwhile, Tamaqua has three league games remaining, all on the road: at North Schuylkill (today), at Blue Mountain (Wednesday) and at Pine Grove (Friday).
North Schuylkill (7-2 D-I) leads Tamaqua (9-7, 6-3) by one game and Pine Grove (9-8, 5-4) by two games with three to play in the race for the wild-card berth into the league playoffs.
The Spartans host Tamaqua today and Pine Grove on Wednesday, then play at Pine Grove on Thursday.
The Cardinals have the home-and-home with the Spartans before finishing the league season at home Friday against Tamaqua.
"Since the Schuylkill League playoffs began (again in 2009), we've been chasing after somebody - basically Pine Grove in the division,'' Rinaldo said. "It's nice to be out in front, and hopefully we can finish off the three remaining games and stay undefeated in the division.''