CHESTER, Pa. - Strong pitching and defense with a late offensive rally sends the Spartans to the MAC Commonwealth semifinals. The Spartans edged Widener, 3-1, Sunday in the decisive game three of their quarterfinal series.

Team records

Widener 13-17

York 14-9

Game info

York 3, Widener 1

WP: Shyla Pastore (6-3)

LP: Jennifer Sieminski ( 8-5)

How it happened

Both teams took advantage of the long ball in the first inning. Widener, playing as the visiting team because of seeding, wasted no time getting on the board as Ally McDowell led off the game with a home run to center field. Shyla Pastore went on to retire the next three batters in order to minimize the damage. In the bottom half of the first, Alyssa Harhigh came through with a clutch two-out home run as the Spartans fought back to tie the game after one inning of play.

Pastore and the York defense had the game on cruise control the rest of the way. The Pride managed to scatter just four hits off the senior hurler through the final four innings as the Spartans allowed just two runners to reach scoring position during that span.

After dealing with offensive woes of their own, the Spartans finally broke through in the sixth with two runs on three hits, which proved to be enough as Pastore retired Widener in order in the top of the seventh. Natalie Decena led off the sixth with a double and Harhigh followed with a single to set the table for Daphney Adams who drove in both runners with her game-winning single.

Up Next

The No. 2 seed Spartans will host No. 7 seed Lebanon Valley in a best-of-three semifinal round series. The series begins with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday at Spartan Stadium.

Notes

Alyssa Harhigh recorded her 100th career hit with a home run in the first inning as she joins teammates Shyla Pastore and Elle Meyer in the 100-hit club … Harhigh leads the team with 40 hits on the season and now has two seasons with 40-plus hits for her career.