BOURBON – The parents had their cell phones ready. The Triton bench had started to file toward the gate. Then Bethany started getting on base. Over and over. It took an improbable tag out on a double steal attempt to avoid what could have been a nightmare. With stunned looks on their faces, Triton still was happy to celebrate a third straight sectional softball title Wednesday night after escaping Bethany Christian, 7-6, at the Class-A No. 52 Triton Softball Sectional.

Triton looked to be well on its way to an easy win over a team it had dimed just a week ago. Up 7-1 heading into the seventh, it looked all but elementary for the home side and its lively fan base.

But Bethany, which hadn’t showed much offensive punch through six innings, weren’t ready to quietly head back to Waterford Mills. Two hits to lead off the inning preceded a pair of throwing errors. Triton now up five. After a lineout, Lena Yeakey and Brooke Reinhardt sandwiched an out with RBI singles. Triton now up three.

“For some odd reason, we put ourselves in these situations where we get down by a lot and turn it on in the seventh,” stated Bethany head coach Krysten Parson. “It’s frustrating as a coach to see us do that. But I can’t be more proud of the fight these kids had.”

Triton head coach Steve McBride swapped out starting pitcher Brycelyn Garbison, who pitched 6.2 innings and allowed just one earned run, scattering just five hits. In came Courtney Jennings for the save, but the defense promptly committed two throwing errors. Triton led 7-5, runners on first and third, and still two outs.

McBride called out “6-5-0” in hopes of cutting down a stolen base attempt, and got it, sort of. On the first pitch from Jennings to Jordan Helmuth, catcher Zoee Stephen threw to second, cut off by Nicole Sechrist. The throw home, with Erin Bontrager running, was late. Stephen’s follow-up throw back to second, however, had a late-breaking Mallory Bontrager – who held up on the initial steal attempt – get gunned down by plenty at second.

It was the third out. It was a sectional title. Most of the Trojan players didn’t know whether to celebrate or feel bad. McBride, after needing a second to figure out what just happened, saw the silver lining.

“You’ve got to give Bethany Christian some credit. They hung in there and made it exciting,” McBride said. “I think this is the third time we finished the game with an out on the bases in a one-run ballgame. That’s kind of unusual.

“We got the out. It’s survive and advance, and that’s what we did. We’re playing next week and we’re happy about that.”

Triton had built its lead via big hits. Lexee Lemler continued to swing a hot bat for Triton, homering to lead off the fourth inning. Sechrist had two RBI singles and Heather Stichter added a two-run single to get Triton on the board in the second.

Lauren Hostrawser had an RBI single and Kayla Kreft added a sacrifice fly for the Trojans, which improve to 20-10 on the season. With the loss, Bethany ends its season 7-8.

Garbison was on a roll following Darienne Maust’s RBI single in the second. The senior got 16 of the next 18 hitters out – save for two Erin Bontrager singles – to help stabilize things for her club. Garbison struck out three to pick up her 12th win of the season.

“I believe in my team and feel like we can get out of any situation, even the crazy one tonight,” Garbison said. “To be playing a regional at home my senior year, it’s the best feeling ever. Just to get one more game at home, to advance with my teammates. I love them. This is really special for us to win this.”

Landing in Bourbon next Tuesday night for a 7 p.m. Triton Regional first pitch will be the Satellites of South Central (Union Mills), which beat LaCrosse, 5-1, in Wednesday’s LaCrosse Sectional championship. The 21-7 Satellites set up a rematch of last year’s regional in Union Mills, won by Triton 4-1. Triton is seeking its second regional title, South Central its also seeking its second to go with its 2007 regional title.

Tickets will only be available at the gate and will be $6 per person. Triton athletics will also be selling sectional championship shirts through Friday. Shirts are $10 for sizes up to XL; XXL and larger are $11. Contact Mason McIntyre at the Triton High School athletic office (574) 342-6505 for more information.