PHOTO: Nicole Howell, shown batting in the semifinal, hit a three-run homer to put Tunkhannock ahead to stay in Wednesday’s final. (Zachary Allen Photo)
Nicole Howell’s three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning Wednesday got Tunkhannock out of an early hole and sent the Lady Tigers on their way to the District 2 Class 4A softball championship with a 6-3 victory over visiting Berwick.
Berwick scored twice in the top of the first inning.
Tunkhannock add single runs in the third and fifth to make it 5-2 before both teams scored in the sixth.
Kaya Hannon threw a five-hitter and struck out 11 without walking a batter.
Sydney Huff and Gabby Wood each had two hits for the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 champion Lady Tigers. Ella McNeff scored three runs. Paige Marabell and Elaina Kulsicavage had doubles.
Gabby Starr led the Berwick offense with two doubles. She drove in two of the runs and scored the other.
Tunkhannock (20-2) takes a nine-game winning streak into the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament where it will meet the District 4 champion, either Danville (18-1) or Shamokin (16-5), at a District 2 site Monday.
Berwick (13-9) gets a shot at a play-in game against District 11 runner-up Northwestern Lehigh for a spot in the state tournament against the District 3 champion, either Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt (21-2) or Hamburg (20-3). That play-in game is scheduled for Thursday at 7 at Patriots Park in Allentown.
