ORWIGSBURG - Morgan Kelly had her A-game on Monday at James F. Patton Field on the campus of Blue Mountain High School.

But it wasn’t enough.

Marian’s splendid senior softball pitcher racked up strikeout after strikeout in blanking North Schuylkill for four innings.

But the Spartans found some offense late, and then held off the Fillies to chalk up a 3-1 win in the quarterfinal round of the Schuylkill League playoffs.

“Our kids played a great game,” veteran Marian manager Joe DeAngelo said. “Kelly was just outstanding.”

Kelly - who had 12 strikeouts in the game - and North Schuylkill ace Bridget Flynn were locked in a scoreless pitcher’s duel until the fifth.

That’s when the Spartans finally broke through as a single by Ava Correll and two errors combined to produce an unearned run.

Marian answered by pushing across an unearned run of its own in the bottom of the frame when Malina Letcher walked and eventually came around to score on a Zoe Katona single and a Spartan error.

“It was one of those games, where a hit here or there would give you a bit of momentum,” said DeAngelo.

North Schuylkill regained the lead in the sixth when Haley Koutch singled, stole second, moved to third on a Texas League blooper to left by Jordan Frie, and scored on a wild pitch.

“We had some tough at-bats, mainly because Morgan Kelly is such a great pitcher,” said North Schuylkill manager Dominic Grasso. “We got pretty lucky late in the game.

“It was a fantastic softball game. You had kids making plays, and you had a great pitching performance from Flynn and Kelly ... what more can you ask for.”

North Schuylkill added an insurance run in the seventh when Mallorie Croker uncorked a double, Ava Correll singled, and Kyle Meskunas knocked in the run with a sacrifice.

Undaunted, Marian came within a whisker of tying the game in its final at-bat.

Letcher barreled up a lead-off double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Maddie Kattner kept the rally cooking with a one-out walk. Gallagher followed and hit a hard liner to center that could have tied the game, but Emilee Slotcavage came up with a huge snag for the second out, before an infield pop out ended the game.

LEATHER MAKERS … Kelly made two standout plays on come-backers to the box for Marian, while teammate Emily Upanavage turned in an outstanding play at third base.

SWATTING AWAY … North Schuylkill was led at the plate by Koutch, Crooker and Correll with two hits apiece. Letcher doubled, while DeAnna Pugh and Kattner both singled for the Fillies.

SMART GAL ... In the opening game of the doubleheader, Pine Grove edged Williams Valley, 5-3. The Cardinal catcher wrote on the back of her helmet: “I love umpires!” Do you think she got some extra strikes for her team?

UP NEXT … This is the first year for a six-team playoff in the league. North Schuylkill meets defending league and state champion Blue Mountain, while Pine Grove plays Tri-Valley in Thursday’s semifinals. Marian is off until the District 11 Class 1A tournament which will open next week.

No. Schuylkill 000 011 1 - 3 9 1

Marian 000 010 0 - 1 3 5

Flynn and Brouse; Kelly and Grabosky. W - Flynn. L - Kelly.