You just got the feeling that even with Parkland up 7-0, the Lady Trojans were going to have to fight off a challenge from Lower Dauphin in the PIAA semi-finals on Monday. The only question was just how big of a rally would it be. Unfortunately for Parkland, the rally brought the Falcons all the way back to an 8-7 win in eight innings.

After nipping away at Parkland from the fourth inning on, Lower Dauphin got two runs with two outs in the seventh to tie the game and added the game winning run in the eighth. In the seventh, it was Jamie Knaub who doubled with runners on the corners to knot the game at 7-7. An inning later, the Falcons loaded the bases and used a sacrifice squeeze bunt from Shelby Alcorn to push across the game winner.

The loss ends Parkland's season at 25-1 and leaves them just short of a trip to Penn State on Friday for the PIAA finals. Instead, Lower Dauphin (23-5) will face Souderton, who defeated DuBois 2-0.

"I don't think for a minute that our girls were just coasting and lost any intensity," said coach Barry Search. "I just think that they [Lower Dauphin] are a very good team and they made things happen. You have to give them credit, because they didn't stop battling or hang their heads even down 7-0."

Parkland picked up a couple of hits in the first inning, but Lower Dauphin got out of the jam with a line drive double-play to end the threat. The Falcons came back with a threat of their own in the bottom of the inning and loaded the bases, but Parkland's defense backed up pitcher Morgan Rentzheimer.

From there, Parkland's offense went to work.

"I'm still proud of this team, there's no doubt about that. We had a great season and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's definitely disappointing, but we showed all year long that we're a great team and we just came up a little short," said senior Jordy Augustus, who was one of the mainstays for the team. "They really battled us and never gave up, so you have to give them some credit, because a lot of teams would have quit."

Sam Pickar came up big to drive in pinch-runner Kelly Gruber with a two-out single in the top of the second as Parkland went up 1-0. The Trojans started to break the game open in the third when they sent ten batters to the plate and scored four, two on bases-loaded walks. Madi Marshall opened the scoring in the inning with an RBI single and later, Pickar would leg out an infield hit to push another run across as Parkland led 5-0. Marshall would pick up another RBI single in the fourth and a Lower Dauphin error would push Parkland to a 7-0 advantage.

"Obviously, we're all disappointed right now, but ultimately, when the girls look back on this season, they'll have some great memories. I would have loved for them to get this win today to experience playing in the final, but I have complete respect for these girls. It just wasn't meant to be," said Search.

Unfortunately, Parkland would pick up just two more hits the rest of the way. Meanwhile, Lower Dauphin added a run in the fourth, three in the fifth and a single run in the sixth to cut Parkland's lead to 7-5. Kaylee Stoner had four hits, including an RBI single for the Falcons and made a key baserunning play in the eighth when she reached on an error and then went first-to-third on a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the eighth.