ERIE, Pa. -- The Mount Aloysius Softball team faced three elimination games, on Friday, and is heading to Saturday with some life after wins in all three games. They will take on Penn State Behrend in the AMCC Championship game, needing to beat the Lions twice.

Mount Aloysius started slow on offense, Friday morning, scoring just two runs for the game, which came in the third inning. Grace Gardini (York, Pa. / York Catholic) started it off with an RBI double and scored right after when Whitney Cole (McDonald, Pa. / South Fayette) singled, giving the Mounties the 2-0 lead. The two runs is all they would need, as Sierra Walters (East Freedom, Pa. / Claysburg-Kimmel) tossed a one-hit shutout, allowing just three total baserunners for Pitt-Greensburg. This allowed the Mounties to avoid elimination for the first time, winning 2-0.

They saw much more of a test in their second game of the day, as they took on Penn State Altoona, in another win-or-go-home situation. The Lions took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, seeing the Mounties trail for the first time. Mount Aloysius would take a 3-2 lead, in the third inning. Olivia Zeigler (Kittanning, Pa. / Armstrong) tied the game with an two-RBI double, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Cole.

Penn State Altoona didn't wait long and responded with three runs of their own, in the top of the fourth inning, to grab a 5-3 lead. The Mounties got one back in the fifth inning, on an RBI single by Gardini, but were held scoreless in the sixth, so they would need a rally in the seventh inning.

They got the rally they needed, as they scored a run with one out, in part due to a throwing error on the Lions. Then, with two outs, Gardini delivered a walk-off single to give the Mounties a 6-5 victory, avoiding elimination for a second time.

In their third game of the day, the Mounties got a rematch against Hilbert, who dealt them their first loss of the tournament. This time, Mount Aloysius had all the momentum and got another great pitching performance from Walters. They scored eight runs over five innings and Walters allowed just two hits, as they sent the Hawks home in five innings. Maggie Cypher (Kittanning, Pa. / Armstrong), Sarah Henninger (DuBois, Pa. / DuBois), and Annalyn Isaacs (Mars, Pa. / Mars), each drove in two runs, while Cole and Alysha Cutri (Imperial, Pa. / Bishop Canevin) each drove in one. The Mounties cruised to the 8-0 victory and avoided elimination for a third time.

Mount Aloysius will have to avoid elimination two more times, on Saturday, when they face Penn State Behrend. The Lions are undefeated in the tournament, while the Mounties have one loss, which is why they need to beat the Lions twice to win the double elimination tournament.