Survive and advance.
Five days ago, the South Adams Starfires were one base hit away from an early elimination in the sectional tournament at the hands of their rivals.
Now they are sectional champions for the second year in a row and for the seventh time in the last eight state tournaments after trouncing Bishop Luers 12-1 in Saturday’s championship game.
The Starfires now have just two days to prepare for an excellent Eastside team, but they will have one big advantage Tuesday night.
They’ll be playing on their home diamond.
The test for South Adams will be if they can end a streak of four sectional-winning teams who have lost in the regional round.
The way Addie Baker is pitching, the answer might just be yes.
Baker gave up just one hit in her 3+ innings of work, leaving the circle with her team up 7-1 and ready to focus on the Blazers on Tuesday.
The Starfires scored half their runs in the top of the third inning and they did it the South Adams way, getting runners on and then driving opposing infields crazy.
A walk issued or a hit allowed to the No. 8 or No. 9 hitter in the Starfire lineup is practically a death sentence to a pitcher looking to keep the Stars off the board.
Macy Pries and Shea Alberson both hit bunt singles and wreaked havoc for Luers, who made errors, throwing mistakes and passed balls to cough up six runs.
The biggest hit of the first SA rally was a two-run triple by Kenzie Neuenschwander.
Luers got their only run of the game after Baker hit a batter and walked the next, giving MJ Brell an RBI opportunity. They did not score the rest of the contest.
South Adams came back up in the fourth and laid down three more bunts, loading the bases for Sofia Schwartz, who knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Gracy Bixler relieved Baker in the fourth and quickly got two outs, then Luers committed another error to put two runners on for Pries.
The Stars’ leadoff hitter doubled to center to score two and two batters later Bekah Patterson got the sectional trophy out of the packing peanuts with a home run to center field to put South Adams up 12-1.
Bixler got the final out of a thrilling sectional with a strikeout and the Starfires celebrated.
Pries was a perfect 3 for 3 with a walk and three runs scored. Neuenschwander and Shea Alberson each had two hits.
South Adams will play Eastside Tuesday at 6 p.m. in a game set to be broadcast live on WZBD, 92.7 FM.
