WYALUSING - Ashley Roberts drove in a pair of runs and Paige Truscott pitched out of late-inning trouble as Minersville defeated Danville 4-3 in a Section 3 Little League 9-10-year-old Softball Tournament game Wednesday.
The victory advances the Miners to the championship round, where they will face Newberry at 5:30 tonight. Minersville needs to win tonight to force a deciding game against the District 12 champions, who defeated Minersville 4-2 in Tuesday's winners' bracket final.
Roberts had an RBI double in the third inning and broke a 2-2 tie with a run-scoring single in the fifth. Kaylee King knocked in a run with a fourth-inning triple, while Truscott had a sacrifice fly.
Truscott struck out nine, walked five and gave up six hits, pitching out of trouble in both the fifth and sixth innings. Catcher Haley Sekellick helped her pitcher by throwing out a would-be basestealer in the sixth inning.
Alex Kroznuskie added two hits for Minersville.
Area 2 Teeners 15-16 All-Stars South 13, West 12
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - Justin Hughes' RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the South a victory over the West in a back-and-forth slugfest.
Mark Weinus had four singles, while Danny Blugis, Kyle Emerich and Mike Ulsh each added two hits for the South (2-1), which led 12-8 before the West scored four in the top of the seventh inning to tie it.
Dave Pedron had a single and two RBIs for the West (0-3).
North 7, East 5
FRACKVILLE - Zack Schwalm slammed a home run in the top of the third inning as the North rallied for a Area 2 victory to stay unbeaten in the round-robin tournament.
Trailing 4-0 early, Schwalm's homer and Major Jordan's RBI single later in the inning helped the North cut the deficit to 4-2.
Jordan Marlow hit an RBI double during a four-run sixth inning to put the North (3-0) on top.