But Keystone followed that strikeout with another spark. And the hits just kept coming from there.

Four singles in a five-batter span helped spark Keystone’s major softball all-star team and ignited a rally that proved to be the difference in Friday evening’s District 12 major softball winners’ bracket final. Keystone scored eight runs in that third inning and Montoursville wasn’t able to come back late as Keystone secured a 9-1 win and advanced to Tuesday’s District 12 championship game at Lycoming College.

“That’s one of our goals to get there and win it, so I’m happy. Any time we can put a performance together like that, our defense was pretty flawless today. We ended with that double play, you don’t see a lot of them at this level,” Keystone coach Chipp McCann said. “We pride ourselves in our ability to play defense. Our team speed is pretty good. Great all around performance tonight. The middle and bottom of our lineup really came through, got us going there in the third inning and put eight runs on the board. It was a good team performance.”

That third inning saw Keystone go through the lineup and collect eight hits and added a walk.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Montoursville second baseman Alivia Frey fields a ground ball for an out at first base in the sixth inning.

After Shultz reached base, Peyton Murray had a one-out single to third to put runners at the corners. Skye Welshans then had a deep single into centerfield that brought both runners in for a 2-0 lead. Another strikeout by Sheleman put two outs on the board, but Josey McCann executed a nice bunt single to reach base before Blake Houser had a single to left to drive in two runs with two outs and extend the lead to 4-0.

After Madison Edwards was walked, Sienna Schneider connected on a single to put two on and Finley Geyer connected on a single into center for another two runs to go ahead 6-0.

And Mia Barth had a two-RBI single into left which extended the lead to 8-0 before a grounder to the pitcher ended the inning.

“Just that one inning. I just told the girls after the game if you look at the scoreboard, it’s a 1-1 game if you take that one inning away. We just have to eliminate that one inning going forward,” Montoursville coach Travis Sheleman said. “It was just one of those innings. They were setting their spots, putting the bats on them and hitting where we weren’t. It is what it is, it happens.”

Following that eight-run outburst in the third inning, Montoursville’s defense was able to settle down and held a potent Keystone lineup to just one run the remaining three innings on five hits. The Montoursville defense forced Keystone to strand two runners on base at third and second in the fourth inning and Keystone stranded a runner in both the fifth and sixth innings.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Keystone's Mia Barth (25) heads for home to score on a (34) single in the sixth inning.

“We just made the plays when we needed to make them. The first few innings we were cruising, they were hitting the ball right to us,” Sheleman said. “Averie was hitting her spots. She’s our main pitcher, so she’s going to get tired toward the end of the game. That one inning she found her groove after that and we were able to stop it.”

Keystone went three up, three down in the first two innings before sparking in the third to blow the game open. Sheleman ended the game with six strikeouts.

Keystone’s final run came in the top of the sixth inning when Shultz hit an RBI single into right field which drove in Barth, who reached n a double to left.

Montoursville avoided the shutout with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sheleman opened the inning by reaching on a walk and stealing second base. Three pitches later, Avery Bolsar connected on a shallow single to drive in a run. But Keystone would then turn a double play to get two outs and Bolsar out, and ended the inning on a strikeout to prevent a Montoursville rally. It was one of two double plays Keystone turned. The final one came to close out the game with a 1-4-3 double play to end the game.

Edwards struck out six and all four of Montoursville’s hits were singles as the Keystone defense did well not letting balls get past them.

MARK NANCE/For The Express Keystone's Sienna Schneider (7) is congratulated by her first third base coach after hitting a triple in the fifth inning.

“Madison Edwards controlled every game she’s been in in the circle out there. She throws with velocity and has a real nice changeup we throw when we feel necessary,” McCann said. “I think almost all of them tonight except one was a strike and they didn’t touch it. She puts the work in and it’s paying off. So we’re happy with her performance for sure.”

Montoursville was led by Bolsar (1 for 2, RBI), Myla Carey (1 for 2), Blakely Ings (1 for 2), Nayomi Belle (1 for 2), Carley Smith (walk), Sheleman (walk, stolen base, run) and Frankie Finnick (walk).

Keystone saw Schneider (2 for 3, triple, run), Barth (2 for 3, double, two RBIs, run), Shultz (2 for 3, RBI, stolen base, run) and Skye Welshans (2 for 3, two RBIs, stolen base, run) all have multiple hits. Peyton Murray (1 for 3), Finley Geyer (1 for 3, two RBIs), Josey McCann (1 for 3, run) and Blake Houser (1 for 3, two RBIs, run) had hits while Edwards was walked.

The loss stung for Montoursville’s players, but the good news for Montoursville is that it’s season is not over yet. The loss dropped Montoursville into the elimination bracket and Montoursville faces South Williamsport — an 11-8 winner over Williamsport Area on Friday — in the losers’ bracket final on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Loyalsock. The winner of that game gets a berth in Tuesday’s district championship game at Lycoming College against Keystone at 5:45 p.m.

“I just told them we have to come back tomorrow and get ready for South,” Sheleman said. “They’re a good hitting team just like this team. We have to come and play ball.”

MARK NANCE/For The Express Keystone's Peyton Murray (30) heads for home to score on of two runs on a single by Skye Welshans (16) in the third inning.

Keystone 9, Montoursville 1

Keystone 008 001 — 9 13 0

Montoursville 000 100 — 1 4 0

Madison Edwards and Josey McCann. Averie Sheleman and Avery Bolsar. W: Edwards. L: Sheleman.

Top Keystone hitters: Sienna Schneider 2-3, 3B, run; Mia Barth 2-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, run; Madaline Shultz 2-3, RBI, SB, run; Skye Welshans 2-3, SB, 2 RBIs, run; Peyton Murray 1-3; Finley Geyer 1-3, 2 RBIs; Josey McCann 1-3, run; Blake Houser 1-3, 2 RBIs, run; Madison Edwards BB. Top Montoursville hitters: Averie Sheleman BB, SB, run; Avery Bolsar 1-2, RBI; Myla Carey 1-2; Blakely Ings 1-2; Carley Smith BB; Nayomi Belle 1-2; Frankie Finnick BB.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Keystone's Skye Welshans (16) is congratulated by her first base coach after hitting a single with a two run RBI in the third inning.

Next games: Montoursville vs. South Williamsport at Loyalsock, Saturday, 3 p.m.; Keystone vs. Montoursville/Williamsport winner at Lycoming College, Tuesday, 5:45 p.m.