ORWIGSBURG - Some pitchers are more effective when they're fresh at the beginning of a game, others pick up their production as the game goes on.

Pottsville's Sara Tobin was more efficient on the mound as time went on against Marian Monday in the Schuylkill League semifinals. Although the Fillies were hitless over the first two innings, Marian worked Tobin as she needed 37 pitches to complete the opening two frames. Tobin settled in and used just 64 pitches the rest of the way to help the Tide defeated the Fillies, 5-1.The Pottsville ace tossed a complete game, yielding one run and striking out five."You have to give Marian credit, they came out swinging the bats and were aggressive," said Pottsville head coach Chuck Rinaldo. "Tobin (Sara) gets stronger as the game goes on and we're fortunate with that. She bared down and closed the door down."Marian made the Pottsville pitcher work deep into counts early on, but didn't have its first hit until Bethany Shaud singled to right field in the fifth inning. Shaud kept Marian in the game on the mound, as she normally does striking out four and walking just one."She's a veteran and always solid," explained Marian head coach Joe DeAngelo. "Bethany always gives you a chance. It's a pleasure to coach her. I thought she pitched well tonight against a very good team. We need to continue to improve on the little things. The little things are the differences in close games."Michaela Garland supplied Tide's offense during the victory. The Pottsville second basemen had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in four runs. Garland has been a crucial piece to the puzzle for Pottsville, despite battling through a slight MCL sprain as of late."She's (Garland) our leading hitter and a top-notch kid who works really hard," the Pottsville coach said. "In my opinion, she's one of the best players in the league. She had a great defensive performance for us recently and did it at the plate this time. The knee brace is slowing her down a little bit but she's still going out, practicing hard, and we're hoping to have another big night from her on Wednesday (against Tamaqua)."Marian had its window of opportunity to mount a comeback in the sixth inning.Having had just one hit entering the inning, the Fillies' Bryianna Pearson, Nicole Salerno, McKenzie Joy, and Brianna Wimmer strung together four consecutive singles. But the hits manufactured just one run thanks to a crafty Pottsville relay throw at the plate. Wimmer knocked in Marian's lone run during the sequence. Tobin escaped the frame with minimal damage, and sat down the Fillies in order shortly after in the seventh inning.Pottsville committed 13 errors in its prior three contests, but ended the game with a clean sheet during the semifinal victory.Rinaldo said, "We are more than pleased at the total team effort that we had. You don't want to stress the negatives (in regard to errors) but sometimes you learn from them. Our kids refocused, made plays on defense, and played a clean game. I'm excited right now."Pottsville will square off with Tamaqua for the fourth time this season on Wednesday in the Schuylkill League championship game. The Tide have won two of its three meetings with the Lady Raiders."I'm not surprised," said Rinaldo regarding another game on the horizon with the Raiders. "Tamaqua is a very scrappy team and it's going to be interesting. We're going to have a very big crowd here. I'm looking forward to the challenge and I'm sure they are as well."Pottsville 003 020 0 - 5 7 0Marian 000 001 0 - 1 5 1Tobin and Dusel; Shaud and Salerno. W - Tobin. L - Shaud.