So it was hardly a surprise when the Lancers, down to their final two outs, rallied to tie the game against Warren.

Five innings later, General McLane ended the Dragons’ season.

Lilli Mook drove in Sarah Banta with a groundout in the top of the 12th inning and Bailey Cannon retired Warren in order in the bottom of the frame as the sixth-seeded Lancers beat the third-seeded Dragons 6-5 to advance to Thursday’s District 10 semifinals.

“We knew she was good. She led this team to a lot of wins this year,” Warren head coach Carissa Stuart said of Cannon. “We told the girls any team in our region could take District 10. … We had to come and play our ‘A’ game. Unfortunately, we came out on the bottom.”

Times Observer Photo by Matt Spielman Warren second baseman Halle Kuzminski throws to first baseman Carly Beers for an out during Tuesday’s District 10 Class 4A quarterfinal.

Banta started on second base via the international tie-breaker rule and went to third on a pitch in the dirt. Mook then grounded out to Warren pitcher Alana Stuart, but Banta was running on contact and scored without a throw.

In the bottom of the 12th, Alexis Hoffman put down a sacrifice bunt to get the Dragons’ free runner to third, but a pop-up to Mook and a comebacker to Cannon ended the game.

“You have to score runs when you have the opportunity … one run at a time,” General McLane head coach Hannah Cox said. “We were just playing for one run at a time. Bailey keeps the runs down for us. We were just hoping Bailey and the defense would shut them down in the bottom of the inning.”

Warren led as late as the top of the seventh inning before General McLane saved its season. After a leadoff out, Cannon and Banta hit back-to-back singles to set the table for Mook. The junior shortstop hit a run-scoring double to right field to make it a 4-3 game. Sami Bennett then hit a line drive to second base that was dropped, allowing Banta to score the tying run from third. The Dragons got an out at first base on the play and Stuart picked up a strikeout to send the game into extra innings.

“As long as there are outs remaining, you have outs left. You are never out of the game,” Cox said. “I talk about the greatest comeback in sports history all the time. They think I’m joking, but today we kind of proved it and finally got one.”

Times Observer Photo by Matt Spielman Warren left fielder Miken Beers fields a ball Tuesday.

Bella Dibble started on second in the top of the 11th inning for the Lancers and eventually scored on an RBI groundout by Cannon.

Warren managed to even the score in the bottom of the 11th as Carly Beers started on second and scored when Ellee Irwin’s one-out fly ball to right field was dropped. Cannon got out of that jam with a strikeout and a grounder.

“It all depends on where you are in your lineup and who you have at second,” Coach Stuart said of the extra-inning strategy. “The bottom line is if they score, you have to score. We did that once, but we just couldn’t come through that last inning.”

The Dragons took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Beers led off with a double and scored when General McLane threw Irwin’s sacrifice bunt down the right field line. Irwin ended up at third on the play and scored on a passed ball with leadoff hitter Katie Madigan at the plate.

Warren extended its lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning. Halle Kuzminski led off with a single and went all the way to third on an error. Beers followed with an RBI single, went to second on a walk and third on a sacrifice bunt by Irwin before scoring on a wild pitch.

Times Observer Photo by Matt Spielman Warren pitcher Alana Stuart delivers to the plate during Tuesday’s District 10 Class 4A quarterfinal against General McLane at Penn State Behrend.

“We talked about pressure and how it was all on Warren. We had nothing to lose today,” Cox said. “It was a little tough out of the gate. We made some mistakes on defense and on the bases.”

The Lancers battled back in their half of the fifth inning. No. 8 hitter Brooke Simmons led off with a single and Dibble walked to bring up the top of the order with no outs. After a groundout, Cannon was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Banta. The senior first baseman came through with a two-run single to left field to make it 4-2.

“We always talk about mental toughness,” Cox said. “The girls proved it today. They picked a great time to show it.”

Stuart got out of the inning with a pair of strikeouts and held General McLane in check in the sixth inning, but the Lancers tied it in the seventh to set up their extra-inning victory.

“It’s a pitcher’s mentality. When you take on that position, you know that is a possibility,” Coach Stuart said of Alana throwing 12 innings. “On most of these teams, you know you can’t give up because you are the one. You have to stick it out. You have to get big and do it.”

Times Observer Photo by Matt Spielman Warren’s Katie Madigan slides in safely to second with a stolen base as General McLane shortstop Lilli Mook awaits a late throw during Tuesday’s game.

NOTES: Unofficially, Stuart threw 130 of her 199 pitches for strikes while Cannon threw 90 of 139 for strikes. … Warren graduates seniors Irwin, Alix Lytle and Madigan. … General McLane will face No. 2 Villa Maria on Thursday after the Victors beat No. 7 Fort LeBoeuf 6-1 in another Tuesday quarterfinal. On the other side of the bracket, No. 1 Franklin beat No. 8 Grove City 12-2 and No. 4 Conneaut topped No. 5 Hickory 8-1.