So many times this season, the Sale Creek softball team has been on the losing end of a one-run ballgame.

But when it mattered most, the Lady Panthers came out on top.

Their 3-2 victory Monday over host Grace Academy in the Region 3-A semifinals sets up a rematch with Whitwell in Wednesday’s championship game.

“We’ve been telling the girls all along that you have to dig deep,” Sale Creek coach Heather Phillips said. “They finally did when we had to have a big win.”

Sale Creek (13-11) threatened with runners on third and second bases after two walks in the third inning but fell behind in the elimination game after Grace scored on Chariah Gordon’s RBI single in the bottom half.

The Lady Panthers evened the score in the fifth when Ashley Malone singled, stole second and came home on Leslie Stephens’ double. In the sixth, Courtney Patrick replaced Grace starter Layce Walker, who moved to first base, and struck out three of the first four batters she faced.

“Layce came out strong but started to struggle a little bit in the middle innings,” Grace coach Tina Walker said. “I was just going to give her one more inning, but I gave her two, and that’s when they tied the game. Courtney has done a fine job all year and I felt very confident bringing her in.”

Patrick retired the bottom of the Lady Panthers’ order in the seventh, but leadoff hitter and starting pitcher Brittany Tipton hit a two-out double over the head of center fielder Mara Reeves and advanced to third on an infield hit from Malone. Stephens then brought both home on a single, giving her team a 3-1 lead before a grounder ended the inning.

“We hung in there,” Sale Creek coach Chris Phillips said. “We kept swinging the bat and made our defensive plays. We haven’t been getting the clutch hits, but we’ve told them they’ve just got to fight the entire game. They did that today. They played their hearts out.”

Grace fought back to within a run on a two-out solo home run from Walker in the bottom of the seventh. Erica Elleman followed with a single up the middle, but a first-pitch popout ended the threat and the Lady Golden Eagles’ season.

“I knew we were still up by one,” Tipton said of her reaction after the homer. “I had to pitch like it didn’t happen, and just pitch the rest of the game out.”

The senior finished with five strikeouts in leading her team to the region final for the first time since helping them get there as a sophomore. With the win, Sale Creek is also guaranteed a spot in Friday’s Class A state sectionals.

“Brittany’s a five-year starter, and she knows this is it for her,” Heather Phillips said. “She wants to go, and we want to help her get there.”

Stephens finished 2-for-3 with all three RBIs for the Lady Panthers, and Malone was 3-for-4. Kaitlyn Eldridge and Gordon were the leading hitters with two apiece for Grace, which played this season with one senior and finished the year 22-7.

“This is a very young team, and I’m very proud of their season,” Coach Walker said. “They’ve done very well.”

n Whitwell 8, Silverdale Baptist 0: At Whitwell in the other semifinal, Amber Webb pitched a no-hitter with one walk and seven strikeouts and Taylor McDaniel went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Whitney Long contributed a two-run home run.