Upper Perkiomen's softball team rode a four-run rally in the first inning to a 7-4 victory over Marple Newtown to capture third place in the District One Class 5A

Upper Perk third baseman Riley Eden puts the tag our on Oxford runner sliding for the bag in Saturday's District One Class 5A playoff game against the Hornets in Oxford.

playoffs and advance to the state tournament.

            Kaylyn Adair delivered two hits, including an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning that staked the Tribe (15-8) to a 4-0 advantage.

            Madalyn Dyer allowed just two earned runs and registered nine strikeouts to help her team secure a spot in the PIAA playoffs, which begin Monday, against the District Three champion, either Exeter or Twin Valley. Lynnsi Joyce and Kylene Gooch each delivered two hits.

            Unlike the first inning of their 13-3 semifinal loss to Oxford three days earlier, the Indians cashed in on an early opportunity. Their first three hitters reached base safely.

            The Tribe scored four runs, taking advantage of two errors by the No. 5 seeded Tigers. Darby Gasda's speed led to an infield throwing error on the second hitter of the game.

            Gooch scored from second on an errant throw on a bunt hit by Joyce. Adair's line single to left capped the outburst.  "We put pressure on their defense with some early bunting and stole some runs with our speed," said Sullivan, whose team extended its lead to 6-0 with single runs in the second and third innings.

            Marple Newtown scored two unearned runs in the fourth inning to get within 6-2. The team pulled within 6-4 two innings later.

            The No. 3 seeded Tribe added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to help preserve its state tournament berth. Joyce singled to left and got herself caught in a rundown, allowing Gooch to score.  "Getting back to states means so much," shortstop Dani Freer said.

             On Saturday, the Indians squandered an early three-run lead in their semifinal round loss. Oxford posted two big innings to overcome an early 3-0 deficit and advance to Tuesday's title game at Spring-Ford.

            The No. 6 seeded Hornets, who finished with 19 hits, batted around in the fifth and seventh innings. They scored seven runs in the fifth on seven hits to take a commanding 9-3 lead. Two innings later, they scored four runs on five hits.              "Oxford really hit the ball hard," Sullivan said.

            Joyce and Freer each had two of the Tribe's nine hits. Freer drove in all the team's runs, including a two-run homer in the bottom of the third to put the team ahead 3-0.
            Upper Perkiomen's opponent seemed prepared for the game, according to Sullivan. He said Oxford seemed to know his team's defensive signals, knew how to attack his hitters, and took a good approach against starting pitcher Madalyn Dyer.

            "They scouted us well," said Sullivan, who added that the Hornets must have studied game video posted on YouTube.

            The Indians loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first inning against Oxford starting pitcher Cece Figueroa on a hit batsman and two singles. Freer drove in leadoff hitter Gasda with a line single to left.

            However, Figueroa worked out of trouble with a ground ball, strikeout, and pop-up. Sullivan described the inning as a missed opportunity. He said he was hoping for two or three additional runs.

            The Tribe opened the third inning with three consecutive hits. Joyce doubled to deep center field and scored on Joyce's homer to left field. Dyer followed with a single and was sacrificed to second, but was stranded there.

            The visiting Hornets got within 3-2 in the top of the fourth. Hannah Aker's two-out single to right field drove in two runners.

            Two days earlier, the Tribe advanced to the semifinals with a 4-0 victory over Interboro. The team took advantage of three errors by the Bucs to score three unearned runs.

            Dyer starred on the mound and at the plate. She scattered six hits and registered 10 strikeouts while stranding eight baserunners and overcoming two errors and a passed ball by her defense.

            Interboro (13-8), the No. 6 seed from the Delaware Valley League, had at least one base runner in every inning. In the second, it put runners on second and third with no outs. However, Dyer retired the next three hitters to wiggle out of trouble.

In the third inning, she worked around a leadoff single by Mare Nagle and a two-out walk. A reaching catch by shortstop Dani Freer on a line drive helped quell the rally.

Dyer led the offense with three hits. She drove in a run during the Indians' two-run rally in the third inning. Freer's two-out single to left field opened the scoring.

Dyer's bloop hit to right put UP ahead 2-0. An infield error on Gasda's grounder to open the third triggered the rally.

Ashley Forrest, whose second hit opened the fourth inning, eventually scored with two outs when Kylene Gooch's ground ball was misplayed. The Tribe added an earned run in the sixth inning after Gasda led off with a single and scored on Gooch's double to deep center field.