Down, but never out.

There were several occasions during Thursday night's Schuylkill-Berks Legion contest against Tamaqua where it appeared the deficit was simply too much for a weary Pottsville team to overcome.Not for this group.Despite a relentless schedule that forced the Lions to spend what seemed like every day playing a game, the group found a way to get it done against the Blue Sox when it mattered most.After trailing 4-1 following the fifth inning, Pottsville used a late surge that included eight runs over the final three frames to claim a 9-6 victory over Tamaqua in eight innings."It's a resilient bunch. I thought they fought hard," said first year Pottsville coach Tyler Heffner. "They come ready to play every game. We only have nine guys, and it seems like we play every night. But it just shows what kind of kids they are to come out here and battle back and win."The Lions' (3-9-1) resolve was on display throughout the contest, but it was perhaps best personified in the final inning.Down to its last out in the top of the eighth, Pottsville started its rally with a walk from leadoff hitter Ryan Kalinich (2-for-4, one run scored), which was followed by a single from Aiden Liptok.Eric Wapinsky (2-for-4, three RBI) stepped to the plate next and didn't waste any time taking advantage of the opportunity, smoking a double that scored Kalinich and Liptok to give the Lions their first lead of the game at 7-5.Cleanup hitter Brandon Daubert (2-for-5, two runs scored, two RBI) followed and gave the visitors some breathing room, launching a 3-1 pitch from Blue Sox reliever Harry Moll over the fence to give Pottsville a 9-5 advantage."I think a couple guys stepped up for us today," Heffner said. "Wapinsky had that big hit, Daubert hit the home run…they stepped up for us and that was big."But over the first few innings, it was the other way around, with Pottsville unable to take advantage of multiple scoring opportunities while Tamaqua (6-9) jumped out to an early lead.Tamaqua starter Casey Rother worked out of trouble in each of the first two innings, as Pottsville stranded a total of three runners in scoring position.The Blue Sox offense didn't come to life until the bottom of the third, when Pete Baddick, who finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored, slammed a two out pitch over the left field fence to give the home team a 1-0 lead.The positive momentum continued in the fourth, when Owen Bates knocked in Adam Bates, who reached on an error, with a double to center field that gave Tamaqua a 2-0 cushion. Brandon Rex, who was 3-for-4, dropped a perfectly placed hit to shallow right field that scored Owen Bates, pushing the Blue Sox lead to 3-0 after four innings.After each team got a run in the fifth, the game's complexion changed dramatically on one swing in the next inning.Following a leadoff walk by Mike Kuperavage and a single by Sam Siminitus, Marcus Renninger evened the score at 4-4 with a towering three run homer to right field.Connor Hartung answered with a solo shot on the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth, but Pottsville responded with a run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Kuperavage that scored Daubert to send the game to extra innings, where the Lions seized control."I hope they take something from it," said Tamaqua coach Todd Heisler. "They can't let up. They have to keep plugging away."Pottsville 000 013 14 - 9 11 4Tamaqua 001 211 01 - 6 9 1Wapinsky, Kalinich (8) and Daubert; Rother, Moll (5) and Baddick. W - Kalinich. L - Moll. HR: P - Renninger (6th, two on), Daubert (8th, one on); T - Baddick (3rd, none on), Hartung (6th, none on).