WEBSTER GROVES聽鈥 Ava Oberle wasn't insulted.
Or offended.
The Festus High sophomore pitcher/slugger was simply grateful for the opportunity.
Oberle ripped a walkoff run-scoring single with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning on Saturday to lift the Tigers to a 3-2 win in over rival Hillsboro in a Class 4 District 2 softball semifinal contest at Webster Groves High.
Festus (20-11) will face Cor Jesu (22-10) in the championship game at 4 p.m. on Monday.
The Tigers capped off a scintillating rally to beat the Hawks (16-10) for the second time this season after losing the previous six games between the Jefferson County rivals.
This one was extra sweet for Festus, which has spent plenty of time in the shadow on Hillsboro. The Hawks hold a 25-15 advantage in the series since Sept. 20, 1999.
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"These girls have something special going on," Festus coach Jeff Montgomery said.
It certainly appeared so on Saturday.
Hillsboro took a 2-1 lead on a pair of unearned run in the sixth before Oberle and Co. regrouped during crunch time.
"Even though we were down, it just felt like we were going to come back and win," Festus junior designated hitter Aubree Huskey said.
Added sophomore catcher Carlie Isbell, "This team just never gives up or folds the towel when it gets behind."
Huskey got the winning rally started with a first-pitch single off Hillsboro junior ace Ashley Hilton.
That drive set the stage for a wild sequence that saw Oberle step into the heroine role.
"The only thing that I could think about was how I had to get on base," Huskey. "There was no other choice."
Hilton, who finishes the season with a 12-4 mark, struck out and eight and gave up just five hits. Two of the three runs were unearned.
"I probably left that pitch too far over the plate," Hilton said of the offering to Huskey "But coming into (the inning), I had a lot of confidence. I thought we had it."
Huskey came around to score one batter later when the Hawks committed two errors on a bunt attempt by Aubrey Doyle, who eventually scored on Oberle's hit.
With the winning run on second and two out, the Hawks elected to walk the hot hitting Isbell and take their chances with Oberle.
Big mistake.
"I was pretty excited to get a hit and prove them wrong," Oberle said.
The drive into the gap in left-center ended a stellar pitching duel between Oberle and Hilton. Oberle allowed three hits. Both runs were unearned.
Hillsboro snatched the momentum away with a pair of runs in the sixth inning on a dropped popup on the infield with two out.
The potential season ending mistake didn't seem to phase the Tigers, who shine under adversity.
"That was a rough sixth inning," said Montgomery, who is the only coach the team has had in the 27 years of its program. "But we battled back, we made plays. This is the type of team that doesn't get tight. They play together and they have fun."
Sophomore infielder Keeleigh Hankins got the Tigers on board with a run-scoring hit in the first that brought in Isbell, who began the inning with a single.
That tally appeared to be enough for Oberle until both teams surrendered a pair of unearned runs down the stretch.
"We couldn't get the hits that we needed," Hillsboro coach Tish Naeger said.
Montgomery guided the Festus baseball team to a state title two seasons ago and is well aware of what it takes to claim a title.
This group carries momentum and confidence into Monday's championship game.
"I think we have a really good chance to keep on winning," Oberle said.
Chargers Keep On Rolling
Cor Jesu exploded for six runs in the second inning to knock off Windsor 14-4 in the first semifinal game.
Junior Grace Rasmussen went 4 for 4 and drove in four runs for the Chargers, who have won four in a row and seven of eight.
Beau Belz added a home run for the winners.