Abington Heights 2nd baseman Lindsey Tasker (3) scoops a grounder off of Pittston Area’s Ava Callahan for an out.
                                 Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

Abington Heights 2nd baseman Lindsey Tasker (3) scoops a grounder off of Pittston Area’s Ava Callahan for an out.

Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

<p>Comet Marley Sarafinko scores under the legs of Patriot catcher Ava Callahan before the throw to the plate.</p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch</p>

Comet Marley Sarafinko scores under the legs of Patriot catcher Ava Callahan before the throw to the plate.

Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

<p>Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch</p>

Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

<p>Abington Heights starting pitcher Lauren Stalica (27) tossed a complete game in defeating the defending 5A state champions, PIttston Area.</p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch</p>

Abington Heights starting pitcher Lauren Stalica (27) tossed a complete game in defeating the defending 5A state champions, PIttston Area.

Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

<p>Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch</p>

Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch

EDWARDSVILLE – Pittston Area’s reign as Class 5A state, subregional a8nd district softball champion all came to an end in one game, but the Lady Patriots were not about to go quietly Tuesday night at Wilkes University.

Pittston Area put runners on base in the bottom of the seventh inning, as many as in the first six innings combined, before falling to Abington Heights, 2-1, in the District 2-4 Class 5A Subregional championship game.

Second baseman Lindsay Tasker, who drove in what proved to be the winning run, made a key defensive play for the first out and pitcher Lauren Stalica got her eighth strikeout for the last out as Abington Heights escaped with the victory.

Stalica retired the first 11 batters she faced before Pittston Area gradually started solving her.

Related Video

The second-seeded Comets had the leadoff batters reach and score in the fourth and fifth innings, then held on.

Pittston Area advanced its first runner into scoring position in the bottom of the fifth, another in the sixth, then three in the seventh as it continued to apply pressure.

In their final inning as defending champions, the Lady Patriots scored one of those runners, lost another who was thrown out on the bases and had the last one stranded by the game-ending strikeout.

“It was tough,” Abington Heights coach John Kelly said. “Pittston’s a class team. They won the state last year. You know they’re not going to give up without a fight.”

Marina Antal led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the right side.

Sam Herbert reached on an error.

Pittston Area tried to bunt the runners into scoring position, but as the fielders rotated, pinch hitter Grace Callahan placed the bunt in the spot vacated by Tasker.

As the ball died near Tasker’s normal position, Antal raced all the way around to score and Callahan was easily safe at first.

Tasker, however, alertly threw across the diamond, stopping Herbert from going from first to third and recording a valuable out.

“We made a mistake and opened the door and our second baseman made a heckuva play to throw that runner out at third,” Kelly said. “That was huge.

“That won the game.”

After a foul popup and a walk made it two on with two out, Stalica ended the game.

Stalica also helped open the scoring.

Marley Sarafinko and Stalica had consecutive singles to being the top of the fourth.

The runners advanced on a groundout and Riley Knott squeezed in Sarafinko to open the scoring.

Tasker singled in a run with two outs after an error had put the first runner on in the fifth.

Gianna Adams struck out 10 while allowing seven hits and just one earned run.

Adams singled through the right side with two out in the fourth for the first Pittston Area base runner.

Herbert singled up the middle with one out in the fifth and Julia Mehal followed with a single through the left side to put two runners on.

Kallie Booth led off the bottom of the sixth with another single up the middle, but was left stranded at second after three infield outs.