Ashley Forrest's swing in the bottom of the seventh inning Monday allowed Upper Perkiomen to overcome its worst defensive performance of the season. It also kept the team in contention for a Pioneer Athletic Conference title.

Morgan Robinson, right, slides safely into home during the  fifth inning of Upper Perkiomen's 7-4 victory over Spring- Ford on Monday at Boyertown High School.  Robinson scored on a two-out single by Darby Gasda during the team's two-run rally.

           As she rounded third base, with her excited teammates waiting for her at home plate, Forrest couldn't stop smiling. Her walk-off grand slam lifted the Indians to a 7-4 victory over Spring-Ford in the opening round of the conference playoffs at Boyertown.

            "It felt pretty good," said Forrest, a junior catcher from Pennsburg.

            The home run – off Rams pitcher Jess Fliszar with the bases loaded – capped an improbable comeback by the Tribe, which overcame a 4-0 deficit to post its seventh consecutive victory. Despite committing nine errors, the team earned yet another opportunity to secure its first PAC title under head coach Dean Sullivan.

            "I loved the way this team battled back," Sullivan said.

            Morgan Robinson delivered a team-high three hits for her team, which scored six of its runs with two outs against Spring-Ford. Madalyn Dyer earned the victory after allowing just one earned run.

            Darby Gasda's run-scoring hit in the fifth inning sparked the comeback. Gasda, who finished with two hits, scored when the Rams right fielder misplayed Elizabeth Proctor's deep fly ball.

            Robinson drove home Forrest, who led off the inning with a double to right center, on a sharp single in the sixth inning that pulled the Indians within 4-3. An infield error by the Spring-Ford shortstop with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning set up the decisive rally.

            The Tribe loaded the bases on consecutive two-strike singles by Ryan Berg and Proctor.

            "When you put the ball in play, good things happen," said Sullivan, who added that his team has been working recently to minimize its strikeouts.

            After Dyer reached on a fielder's choice grounder, Forrest delivered the decisive hit with two strikes. She got a pitch exactly where she likes it, over the middle third of the plate, and launched it over the left-center field fence to end the game.

            "Ashley was nervous before the at-bat," Sullivan said. "But she got the job done."

            Sullivan admitted he wasn't sure his team would recover from a difficult first inning. The team committed four errors behind Dyer that led to three runs by the Rams. Caitlin Ashley delivered a two-run homer to highlight the rally.

            "The first inning was embarrassing," said Sullivan, whose team committed defensive miscues in five of seven innings.

            Spring-Ford added another unearned run in the fourth inning, taking advantage of two infield errors to go ahead 4-0. However, Dyer kept the Rams at bay by working out of trouble in the second, fifth and sixth innings.

            Forrest said the fifth-inning rally gave the Tribe hope. She said the players were motivated to return to the conference title game.

            The Indians (16-5) return to Bear Park at 7 p.m. Wednesday in search of their first outright conference title since 1988 against Owen J. Roberts, which defeated the host Bears later Monday. They reached the title game last season, losing 2-0 to Boyertown.

            Upper Perkiomen was declared co-champions with Spring-Ford in 2021 during a pandemic-shortened season. UP lost 2-0 to Perkiomen Valley in 2017.

            The Indians ended their regular season with an offensive barrage in an extra-inning victory over Methacton. They pounded out a season-high 19 hits and overcame five errors in a 17-12 road win.

            Kristina Molnar drove in four runs on two hits, including a home run. He also scored two runs.

           Proctor, Kaylyn Adair and Forrest finished with three hits for the Tribe, which scored five runs in the eighth inning to snap a 12-12 tie. Robinson contributed three RBIs and scored twice off the bench.

            Gasda and Maddie Deeble each added two hits. Erin Gray drove in two runs.

            On the mound, Gray earned the mound victory in relief despite allowing five earned runs over the final four innings. Dyer allowed seven runs–one earned–over four innings.