United wins in 10th, 4-1

The Eagles took advantage of the tie-breaker rule to beat Springfield.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HANOVERTON -- For nine innings of Wednesday's Division III tournament softball game, likely league champions United and Springfield treated runs as if they were more precious than a free tank of gasoline.
But in the 10th inning, the Golden Eagles struck a gusher.
With a boost from the tie-breaker rule (starting the inning with a runner at second base), United scored four runs for a 4-1 sectional final victory.
The win sent United (19-6), the Tri-County League champions, to the South Range district for a semifinal game against Minerva next Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Still eyes ICL title
The loss ended Springfield's (14-6) postseason, but the Tigers can earn a share (with Mineral Ridge) of the Inter-County League title today with a win over McDonald.
"My girls couldn't have played a better game," said Springfield coach Scott Workman, who is no fan of the tie-breaker rule. "I don't think it's necessary at this level. They should allow teams to play it out the entire way."
In the 10th, United's Ashley Bergman was sent to second base. Successful slap bunt singles to the left side by Monica Abel and Mandy Foster loaded the bases.
"A bunt might be the smart choice," United coach Janet Sheets said, "but I thought let's go for it. We've worked on slap bunting all year.
"I had a senior and a junior up who I knew could do it, and they got the job done," Sheets said.
After Allison Carroll's RBI single to left field scored Bergman, the Eagles scored a run when Ashley Webb fouled out. First baseman Samantha Cavalier's sliding catch and collision with catcher Ashley Fagnano gave Abel a chance to speed home for a 2-0 lead.
Two-run single
With two outs, Chelsea Sheets singled to score Foster and Carroll.
Foster, the winning pitcher, said the extra runs "really helped because I knew we had a cushion to fall back on if they got a couple of runs. As long as we had that cushion there, it was good."
In the bottom of the 10th, Colleen Platt's one-out single brought home Carolanne Semancik for the Tigers' run.
Foster (7-2) scattered six hits and benefited from two unassisted double plays (Sheets at shortstop in the second inning and Bergman at second in the eighth).
Losing pitcher Krista Snyder (7-4) gave up four hits in the first nine innings.
"This was tough -- both of us had strong defenses behind us," Foster said.
Stranded seven runners
The Tigers, who stranded seven runners, threatened in the second inning when Semancik led off with a single and took second on Platt's single. Sheets caught Heather Snyder's line drive near second base and tagged the bag to end the inning.
Semanacik and Snyder both reached second on their next at-bat but were stranded there.
United can clinch the TCL title outright if it defeats Leetonia today.
williams@vindy.com