WILLIAMSPORT — The seniors led the way for Wyalusing softball as they held off a tough Williamson squad, 7-3, in the District IV, Class AA semifinal Tuesday.

"It feels amazing," senior Addisyn Bly said about making the district title game. "These last three years we've made it to the first round, and then the semis the last two years, so to finally make it to the championship, it feels amazing."

The win sends the to a title game against Northwest on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. back at Elm Park.

"It's what we've worked for," pitcher Addison Fluck said about making the championship game. "It one of our goals, and we're here."

The four Wyalusing seniors went 8-for-13 with five runs scored, four doubles, and 4-RBI.

"It feels really good," Bly said to see her team hit like that. "Obviously, you have to hit to score runs, so knowing that our line-up, especially 1-through-9 is all hitting, and we can rely on them."

Lead off batter Bly led the way with a 3-for-4 day with three doubles and two runs scored as Nickeson (2-for-4) scored three times.

Fluck (2-for-3) had a double with 3-RBI as her courtesy runner, Raelea Harvey, crossed home once.

Fourth senior Kyla Carpenter went 1-for-2.

"I'm very proud of all four of my seniors," Wyalusing coach Brett Jayne said. "I can't say enough about them. Their defense, their overall play is great."

Josie Ferris (1-for-3) scored and drove in a run.

In the circle Fluck struck out 11 but also walked seven while allowing just two hits and three runs.

"Fluck pitched decent," Jayne said. "I would have liked it a little bit better, but I do know that she's struggling a little bit."

Fluck threw 135 pitches as Williamson got her into plenty of full counts.

"It wasn't the plan, but sometimes things do go according to plan," she said. "You just have to work through it."

The Rams had beaten Williamson 8-0 during the regular season but they did their best not to put too much stock into that win.

"We tried not to think about that game because a lot of teams we played early in the season, so a lot of teams can change," Bly said. "When we came in here it was just the mentality that it was a new game."

In this contest Williamson battled Fluck deep into counts and were one or two breaks away from changing the game.

"Williamson was very tough, a little different than the first time we played them," said Jayne. "I thought they played a good game. There were some breaks that go one way or another it could have been a different game."

In the top of the first Fluck would issue two walks but as Williamson tried to get into a pickle between first and second to allow the runner on third to score Nickeson used her speed to tag the runner out before anybody could cross home, keeping it scoreless.

Bly opened the bottom half of the inning with a double, then scored on a Nickeson bunt that saw her end up on third base due to a throwing error.

Ferris would drive her in with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Rams out of the gate.

The Warriors struck back in the top of the third as another pair of Fluck walks didn't go wasted by Williamson. With two outs Kenna Thomas hit a 2-run single to make it 2-2. 

The Warriors followed that up with another hit as they threatened to take the lead.

"I couldn't give up any more walks," Fluck said she was thinking.

She did the opposite, getting a strikeout to end the inning.

The Rams struck back in the bottom half with Nickeson leading off with a hit. After Ferris reached on an error Fluck singled in Nickeson for the 3-2 lead.

Ferris later scored on a passed ball, while Harvey would take home off a Carpenter walk. Carpenter immediately broke for second base while Harvey reached home for the 5-2 lead.

In the fourth Bly would hit a 1-out double followed by Nickeson reaching on a single. After a second out Fluck doubled them both in for a 7-2 lead.

The Warriors got one back in the top of the sixth as they loaded the bases right off the bat thanks to a pair of walks and fielder's choice. 

Wyalusing got two outs after that, but another Fluck walk brought in a run for the 7-3 score.

She did come back to get the strikeout to end the at bat.

In the seventh Fluck retired the side to push them to the finals.

The Rams did a little bit of everything to get their offense, and Jayne was glad to see their aggressiveness on the base paths pay off.

"We like to do a little bit of that," he said. "A little double steal here and there, a little delayed steal. You never know what we're going to pull out of the hat. I like to keep the other teams guessing."

Wyalusing has faced Northwest before, falling 13-7 during the regular season, but Fluck didn't pitch that game, giving this coming one a different feel.

"I think we've just got to play our game," Fluck said. "Every game's the same, you've got to score runs, you've got to pitch."

Jayne is encouraged by the seven runs they put up on the Rangers in their first meeting, but Northwest is undefeated for a reason.

"There's a lot more on the line," he said. "If you lose there's no tomorrow. So you come here, you put it all on the field. Win or lose, they've had a great year, they're a fantastic bunch of girls. I can't say enough about the bench, the bench tonight was great cheering and keeping everybody up, and that all makes a big difference."

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