ORWIGSBURG - It’s been a familiar junction for the Marian softball team in recent years.

The Fillies have ruled Schuylkill League Division 3 play, and have been a consistent participant in the league’s postseason tournament.

But trying to leapfrog from the semifinal round to the title game has been a bone of contention.

Marian’s lack of playoff success surely hasn’t been for lack of effort. - just ask Blue Mountain how hard it was to settle the issue with the Fillies on Tuesday at James E. Patton Softball Field.

A terrific pitching matchup between the Fillies’ Morgan Kelly and the Eagles’ Chole Brown had the teams scoreless through five innings of play. Pitch for pitch, both righthanders were on the top of their game in the circle.

Finally, the dike gave way, however, as Blue Mountain unleashed a five-run assault in the top of the sixth inning and went on to post a 7-0 victory.

The win vaults the Eagles into this evening’s championship game against North Schuylkill - which surprised Tri-Valley 12-6 in the opener.

The difference in last night’s game was Brown, who proved far too crafty - and at times overpowering - for the Fillies’ batters. She found a way to checkmate Marian, allowing no runs, no hits and hardly a scoring threat.

Marian’s lone base runners were Danica Karlick, who drew a leadoff walk in the third, and Malina Letcher, who walked and moved up two bases on wild pitches in the seventh.

Otherwise, Brown was on target for perfection. The sophomore righthander retired six straight Marian batters to open the game. Then, following the Karlick walk, Brown really got on a hot roll, retiring the next 12 straight before the home seventh.

“She’s been doing it all season for us,” said Blue Mountain manager Mike Rollerman about his star pitcher.

Rollerman also had praise for Kelly.

“She is a quality pitcher,” he said. “Our bats finally came alive after seeing her a third time. Credit to our girls who put their bats on the ball in the last couple innings.”

Kelly was bringing it as she recorded eight strikeouts and allowed just one base runner up until the fourth. Paige Brogan got the first hit of Kelly in the second, but she was pegged out by Fillie catcher Anna Grabosky attempting to steal third. Maria Freiwald singled in the fourth.

“Morgan had a heck of an effort - especially when you consider that Blue Mountain scored in double digits 14 times this season.” said Marian coach Joe DeAngelo.

The winners finally solved Kelly in the top of the sixth. It marked the only inning during which she looked a little shaky as she tossed 26 pitches. Blue Mountain used three walks, a hit batter, and two base hits to fuel the rally. The biggest blow of the game came off the bat of Courtney Cavadini - a bases loaded three-run double which took the wind out of Marian’s upset hopes.

“That’s a quality pitcher who kept us off balance for five innings,” Rollerman said. “Marian is a quality opponent, they wouldn’t be here if they weren’t.”

NEARLY AN EARLY HIT … Kelly had hit a shot to dead centerfield in the home first and normally falls in for extra-bases, but Blue Mountain’s Elle Walsavage came up with the catch and made it look routine.

BY THE NUMBERS … Kelly threw 112 pitches, but had just 68 after five innings. She struggled over the final two frames with 44 pitches. Brown finished with 102 in her no-hit outing.

NEXT UP … Blue Mountain and North Schuylkill are both out of Division 1 and have met twice during the regular season, with both games going to the Eagles. Marian will be off until it opens the District 11 Class 1A tournament next week.

Blue Mountain 000 005 2 - 7 7 0

Marian 000 000 0 - 0 0 0

Kelly and Grabosky; Brown and Cavadini. W - Brown. L - Kelly.