DRIFTON - If you have a video tape of Thursday's PSAC softball semifinal between Lock Haven and Indiana, don't give it to Bill Graham.
That is, if you want the tape back.
If you don't, well, maybe you will get some amusement out of watching him destroy it.
"We would burn it," the IUP manager said. "It was not a good game to watch, but I have to credit our girls because they fought."
The third-year coach is right on both accounts. It was one of the ugliest softball games you'll ever see, and the Crimson Hawks managed to advance.
Megan McCormick hit the game-winning home run in the top of the seventh, IUP used an interesting combination of four long balls to counter eight errors en route to a football-like 14-10 victory over the Lady Eagles in the championship semifinals held at ASA of PA Jake Kislan Softball Complex near Hazleton.
Lock Haven rebounded later in the day to eliminate Mercyhurst, 8-4, thanks to two home runs by catcher Alicia Cacciotti.
The Lady Eagles now play No. 3 nationally-ranked Kutztown in the consolation semifinals at 1 p.m. today. KU was upset by Bloomsburg, 1-0, in nine innings.
"It's tough, but we are going to find out what our girls are made of," LHU manager Kelly Shannon said.
Pretty wouldn't describe the championship semifinal.
Not at all. Probably the last adjective you would use.
Routine pop flys were dropped.
Infield rollers went between the wickets.
Cleanly gobbled-up balls turned into errant throws.
Combined, both teams had 14 errors.
"You can't commit that many errors in a game like this and win. It's just that simple," Shannon said.
What Indiana did was hang around.
Even down 9-4 after three innings, the Crimson Hawks - No. 3 seed from the PSAC Central - never lost confidence.
"You just have to get the next play," Graham said. "In softball, it's always about the next one. As bad as we looked at times today, it doesn't matter. You have to keep moving forward, and we preach that to the girls. We always tell them to get the next one, because you can't go back and change the past. You can only look forward."
Two innings.
That's all IUP needed.
A two-run single by Tara Waldo, combined with two LHU errors, allowed the Crimson Hawks to plate five runs during the fourth in which IUP sent 11 to the plate.
Lock Haven broke the 9-all tie in the fifth as a double by Cacciotti, a sacrifice bunt by Sarah Schwalm and IUP's eighth error gave the local girls a 10-9 lead.
Then came the dreaded seventh.
Jen Beaver's monstrous homer to left field tied the game at 10. McCormick ripped the game-winner, a two-run shot, and Mary Ward added insurance on her two-run blast three batters later.
Three dingers, all to nearly the same spot in left field, and IUP was on its way to the championship bracket finals against Bloom.
"We have all the confidence in the world in our pitchers, our defense and the offense," McCormick said. "From No. 1 all the way to No. 9, we can hit the ball. Look at all of our home runs. They were scattered throughout the lineup. We know we have power hitters, but we just try for line drives and solid hits. We don't expect home runs, but it's good when we get them."
INDIANA 14, LOCK HAVEN 10
I 301 500 5 - 14 16 8
L 423 010 0 - 10 9 6
I: Kelly King, Alexa Campbell (4) and Ashley Strack. L: Sarah Morse, Nicole Smith (5), Morse (7) and Alicia Cacciotti. WP - Campbell. LP - Smith.
HR: I, Megan McCormick, Jasa Mitchell, Mary Ward, Jen Beaver. L, Brittany Favazza. 2B: L, Bridgette Clarke, Cacciotti, Alyssa Smith. MH: I, Marissa Leslie 5, Tara Waldo 3, McCormick 2, Beaver 2. L, Favazza 2, Cacciotti 2, Smith 2.
LOCK HAVEN 8, MERCYHURST 4
L 020 030 3 - 8 9 3
M 200 010 1 - 4 8 0
L: Sarah Morse, Nicole Smith (7) and Alicia Cacciotti. M: Annie Truelove, Kristi Janoske (4), Megan Hopton (5) and Jen Bower. WP - Morse. LP - Janoske. S - Smith.
HR: L, Cacciotti 2, Erin Clary, Sarah Schwalm. M, Shaina Bunker. 2B: L, Chelsea Edwards, Alyssa Smith. M, Amanda Walker. MH: L, Edwards 3, Cacciotti 2. M, Bunker 2, Megan Smith 2.
