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PORTAGE -- With a three-run lead under its belt entering the fourth inning, the Portage softball team could feel the game gradually tipping in its favor.
Matched up against sixth-seeded Blacklick Valley in the District 6 Class 1A quarterfinals, the No. 3 Mustangs string together timely hits and cashed in on several of their opponents miscues to produce seven runs in the fourth inning.
The big inning helped propel Portage past the Vikings and into the next round with a 12-1 victory.
"We knew (Blacklick Valley was) a good team and were going to come ready to play," Portage senior Maryn Swank said. "It's the playoffs, and you're going to be up against a good team regardless of who you play. We just came in focused and got the job done."
Portage (14-6) opened the game with four-consecutive hits and took a 2-0 lead following a single by Sydney Castel that scored Swank and an RBI double from senior Karli Karalfa.
Karalfa extended the lead to three in the third following a single from Lexi Slanoc, but following a solo home run from Blacklick Valley's Nikki Zimmerman (2-for-3), the Mustangs weren't sitting as comfortably as they thought they would be.
"We know Zimmerman is a phenomenal athlete, and we expected her to be a problem at the plate," Portage coach Brian Randall said. "Our main focus, though, was on ourselves. We needed to hang in there and limit our errors, making sure we didn't let one error turn into five. We did that well today, and I think our girls responded when they needed to respond."
Portage finally turned the game around with a seven-run fourth inning.
Swank and MaKenna Redfern each converted on a Blacklick Valley miscue, and a single from Lyndsey Castel produced two more runs.
The home run from Noll extended Portage's lead to eight, and Slanoc scored off a fielder's choice.
The mercy rule was placed into effect in the sixth after sophomore Tori Harrison launched a double into center field that scored two runs.
"We've gotten contributions from everyone," Randall said. "We're a young team with a lot of freshmen and sophomores out there. It's nice to get contributions from our freshmen the whole way up to our senior class."
Swank's performance in the circle was also able to mitigate any potential Vikings comeback.
The Juniata College commit fanned 12, surrendered no walks and allowed just four hits.
Eight players recorded a hit for Portage.
"We've gotten so much better from our first practice until now," said Karalfa, who went 2-for-3 in the victory. "We're a lot more confident now, and it shows."
Blacklick Valley (6-14-1) committed six errors in the loss.
Portage advances to the District 6 Class 1A semifinals and is set to face fellow WestPAC opponent Conemaugh Valley Thursday.
The No. 2 Lady Bluejays defeated Portage twice in the regular season, 12-9 and 5-4.
Portage is seeking its first district title game berth since 2001, and a win over Conemaugh Valley would also punch a ticket to the state playoffs.
"We have to keep doing what we're doing," Swank said. "We're the underdogs, but we have to do what we do. I'll pitch the best I can and trust my defense behind me. We're going to give it all we got."
BLACKLICK VALLEY (1): McIntosh-Myers cf 300, Slebodnick ss 300, Zimmerman 3b 312, Bartoletti 1B 301, Silko 2b 201, Fatula p 200, Chappel lf 200, McQay c 200, Schilling rf 200. Totals -- 22 1 4.
PORTAGE (12): Redfern cf 411, Swank p 322, S. Castel c 421, Karalfa ss 322, L. Castel 3b 411, Noll 2b 312, Slanoc lf 321, Phillips 1b 300, Harrison rf 201, Kunko rf 100. Totals -- 30 12 11.
SCORE BY INNING
Blacklick Valley 000 100 X-- 1
Portage 201 702 X--12
E--Slebodnick 2, Chappel, Bartoletti, Zimmerman, Silko, Slanoc. 2B--Zimmerman, Harrison, Karalfa, Swank. 3B--Redfern. HR--Zimmerman, Noll. RBI--S. Castel 2, L. Castel 2, Karalfa 2, Noll 2, Harrison 2, Slanoc, Phillips, Zimmerman.
PITCHING
Portage: Swank (W)-- 6 IP, 4H, 12K, 0BB, 1R, 1ER.
Blacklick Valley: Fatula (L)-- 5.1 IP, 11H, 3K, 5BB, 12R, 9ER.
Records: Portage (14-6); Blacklick Valley (6-14-1)