It didn’t take long - just two and a half innings.

Anthracite/Towamensing defeated Jim Thorpe, 16-1, on Thursday to capture the District 18 Little League 10-12 year-old softball title.

Thorpe pushed across a run in the top of the first when Ryah Confer singled, stole second and scored on a single by Remy Gorski.

But coach Tommy Goida’s Anthracite team quickly took control, exploding for 13 runs in the bottom half of the frame. Riley Lawless banged out a single and a double while Megan O’Brien, Jenassa Prudente, and Brooklynn Mika all contributed one hit. Anthracite was aided by four Jim Thorpe errors and five walks.

Anthracite pitcher Sammy Wolfe threw up goose eggs in the second and third innings, and Anthracite added three more runs in the home second on base hits by Danika Blazosky, Mika and Prudente.

The big lead turned the game into a three-inning mercy rule victory.

In addition to being happy with his team’s offensive performance, Goida praised Wolfe, who played a big role in helping the team go unbeaten in the double-elimination tournament.

“She’s just been outstanding. She faced only 11 batters, struck out seven, walked just one and gave up only three hits,” Goida said. “We hit the ball really well today, too.”

Jim Thorpe battled back to win the loser’s bracket after falling to Anthracite/Towamensing earlier in the tournament, but couldn’t take the tourney to an ultimate game.

“We were up against a team of players from both the Palmerton (Towamensing) and Anthracite areas, and they were just too much against our local kids,” said Jim Thorpe coach Jim Frantz. “After the first inning, I told our players to try to chip away and play with dignity, but we just couldn’t compete.”

UP NEXT ... Anthracite/Towamensing will face the District 29 champ - either Pocono Mountain East or West End - on Tuesday in the opening game of the Section 6 Tournament.

PROGRAM BUILDING ... Frantz, a board member of the Jim Thorpe Little League who has taken charge of the girls’ softball program, was proud of his team’s 2-2 record in the District 18 Tournament.

TOUGH TO BEAT ... With strong pitching and catching, along with solid hitting up and down the lineup, Goida likes his team’s chances in the sectionals. “They make it easy to coach them,” he said. “There is so much talent with this group. We’ll see how far we can go.”

HOME-AWAY ... The game was played on Jim Thorpe’s Route 903 field, but Anthracite/Towamensing was declared the home team based on a flip of the coin.

Jim Thorpe 100 - 1 3 8

Anthracite (13)3x - 16 8 1

Confer, Sullivan (1) and Yeakel; Wolfe and Lawless. W - Wolfe. L - Confer.