It could have been one of Tamaqua’s biggest wins in years.

Instead, it turned out to be a gut-wrenching loss, and an abrupt end to the Blue Raiders season.

Bethlehem Catholic’s Hailey Pyle drilled a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the top-seeded Golden Hawks a 7-6 victory in Thursday’s District 11 Class 4A semifinal contest.

What made the defeat even harder for Tamaqua to swallow was the fact that its pitcher - Bryn Clifford - was battling through pain in the later innings.

“We were down, and we came back in the top of the seventh and went ahead,” said Blue Raider head coach Jill Barron. “I honestly think if Bryn wasn’t cramping in the hip, it would have been a different story.

“I don’t think she was as consistent as she was when she was healthy ... And she didn’t want to come out of the game. It’s her senior year, and she wanted to finish it. I know, and she knows, she wasn’t 100%, and that definitely made a difference. I was just hoping she could pull through it.”

After fourth-seeded Tamaqua scored on a bizarre play in the top of the sixth to finish off a three-run frame and take a 4-3 lead, Becahi tied the game. Krsital Torres worked a two-out walk, and came all the way around when Angie Iovino singled on a low liner to center and the ball got past the Raider outfielder.

Following the hit, Clifford ended up on her back in the circle. After being attended to, she remained in the game and was able to get out of the inning.

She also was given a lead when her teammates produced several runs in the top of the seventh. Kolbe Robb reached on an error and Riley MacMillan followed with a bunt single. After a pop-up, Hailey Williams - who had struck out three straight times - drilled a two-run double to deep left to put the Raiders up 6-4.

“She was 0-for-3 coming up, and I’m not going to say that the thought (of having her bunt) didn’t cross my mind, but I had all the faith in her,” said Barron. “She’s been one of our big six all year long, and I felt that she had it in her to come through for us there.”

Jordan Merklin led off the home seventh by blasting a pitch over the right-field fence to trim the Hawks’ deficit to 6-5. Leah Chladny followed with a single before Pyle crushed her game-winner.

“We’ve been in that situation before,” Becahi head coach Rich Mazza said of trailing late. “Our league prepares us for these type of games. I think the (nine-day) layoff hurt us. We didn’t play well, but of lot of that has to do with Tamaqua.

“I know how good Tamaqua is. She is an outstanding coach, and I knew they were going to be tough.”

Through the first three innings, Clifford and Becahi starter Emma Bond each allowed no runs and just one hit.

But the Hawks broke through in the fourth on a solo homer by Teighan Boyle. The Raiders (9-13) battled back in the fifth as Megan Lavine singled, moved to second on a bunt, and scored on an RBI single by MacMillan.

“It was a pitcher’s duel (early), and after that it was a little bit of everything,” said Barron. “Our small ball came through, and gave them a little bit of trouble.”

Merklin put Becahi back on top in the home fifth with a two-run single, but that only set the stage for a wild sixth.

Tamaqua’s Clifford and Addison Krall had back-to-back singles, and Leah Crowley reached on a bunt single. When the throw to first hit Crowley, Clifford scored to make it 3-2, however Crowley was thrown out trying to go to second. Kaziah Streisel came through, though, when she singled off Bond’s glove to knock in a run and tie the score.

With Lavine at bat and Streisel now on second, the count reached 3-1. After a called strike, the Hawks’ catcher rolled the ball to the circle and her teammates started jogging to the dugout. Streisel raced to third, and with the ball still unattened to, she came home to make it 4-3.

“That absolutely was the first time that’s ever happened to me ... I knew she didn’t strike out,” said Barron. “I knew it was a full count (after the pitch). I’ve never seen anything like it, but I’m glad it went in our favor.”

“The scoreboard said 3-2, but I knew it wasn’t 3-2,” said Mazza. “I told the girls they can’t look at the scoreboard ... We just have to be more aware of the situation.”

K-FEST ... The first 11 batters of the game all struck out. Bond finished the game with 13 strikeouts, while Clifford fanned nine.

FAREWELL ... Barron loses four seniors from this year’s squad - Clifford, Gabby Robb, Streisel and Breanna Thomas. “I’m going to miss them dearly,” said Barron. “I had a fun four years with them.”

NEXT ... The Hawks will face Northwestern in Wednesday’s title game at Pates Park.

Tamaqua 000 013 2 - 6 10 1

Bethlehem Cath. 000 121 3 - 7 8 3

Clifford and Krall; Bond and Boyle. W - Bond. L - Clifford. HR: Bethlehem Catholic - Boyle (4th, none on), Merklin (7th, none on), Pyle (7th, one on).