North Pocono was three outs from facing a winner-take-all game for the Pennsylvania Little League softball title.
The Dandy Lion dozen didn’t let that happen.
Cameron Forgione delivered a one-out, RBI single in the bottom of the sixth as the 12-girl squad from North Pocono rallied with three runs in its final at bat to stun Lower Perkiomen, 3-2, in walkoff fashion Tuesday in the 9- and 10-year-old title game at Fairchance Little League in Fayette County.
“This is how we won districts,” manager Philip Forgione said. “I think the hallmark of this team is that refuse to lose. It’s been this way all year.
“It all kind of feels like a blur.”
Despite a complete-game, 14-strikeout performance from Arielle Bell, North Pocono found itself behind after Lower Perkiomen plated both its runs in the top of the fourth.
“Very concerned, they’re a very good team with a very good pitcher,” Philip Forgione said. “We’re confident always, confident we were going to mount a comeback, confident we would win if we played another game. But you’re always concerned when you are playing a team that good.”
That belief that the club would come back proved to be well founded.
Bell led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and stole second. Gabby Carra came through with a one-out RBI single to slice the deficit in half, then immediately swiped second.
Carra executed a delayed steal of third, and when the throw was off target, she darted home with the tying run.
Anna Clementoni followed, stroking a 3-2 pitch for her second hit of the game. She advanced to second on a passed ball and took third on a wild pitch.
When Mia Rava bounced back to the pitcher, Lower Perkiomen opted to hold the ball rather than give Clementoni a chance to score, but Rava never stopped and motored into second.
With a 2-0 count, Forgione smacked a base hit into the hole between first and second, scoring Clementoni with the championship run.
“Pure excitement,” Philip Forgione said of the celebration that ensued. “They stormed the field, piled on one another. A lot of excitement, a lot of emotion for the coaches, players and fans, and a lot of pride.”
It was the team’s second three-run, sixth-inning rally with its season in the balance.
“Outside of our district final against Old Forge, we had a commanding lead throughout (the postseason),” the manager said. “We won our district game in the same fashion, won, 3-2. The girls have responded when put in this situation when we had to score.
“We’ve been in this situation twice and both times scored three runs to win.”
Dandy Lion finished the tournament 4-0. Lower Perkiomen would have needed two wins as the loser’s bracket survivor in the eight-team, double-elimination tournament.
The game marked the end of the line for the champs. There is no regional tournament for the age group.
“Quite an end to a great season,” Philip Forgione said.