STEUBENVILLE – The Franciscan softball team needed just one win to secure their spot in the 2017 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference tournament. After dropping the first game by a narrow 2-0 margin, the Lady Barons used seventh-inning dramatics from freshman Dennise Carrazco to beat Penn State Altoona 4-3 and earn their first trip to the AMCC tournament in program history.

The Lions scored a run in to the top of the sixth to tie the game 3-3 and set up need for heroics in the bottom of the seventh. Haley Giedroc doubled to left field and drove home Kelsey Bristol with one out to tie the game 3-3.

Junior Lindsey Finch singled to left with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but Franciscan was unable to get her home from third. Freshman Jayln Effertz was able to pitcher herself out of a bases-loaded jam as she got Allison Simpson to pop up to Ashley Kondracki at first and keep the game tied.

Carrazco wasted little time in the bottom of the seventh as she tripled to lead off the inning than came around to score on the throw back in to walk off with the 4-3 win for the Lady Barons. The triple was Carrazco's first hit of the game and could not have come at a better time. Franciscan is having its best season in program history and will now add a chance to play for the conference title to its list of achievements. The Lady Barons are currently 12-18 on the year and have won more games in a season than any other Franciscan team and have more wins than all other seasons combined.

Franciscan struck first in the first inning as Kondracki singled to left and advanced to second on an error by the left fielder that allowed Anna Fluharty to score and give FUS a 1-0 lead. After trading 1-2-3 halves of the second inning, the Lady Lions got a runner in the top of the third, but Effertz got Bristol to ground out with a runner of third to keep the lead for Franciscan.

The Lions got a run in the fourth and fifth inning to take 2-1 lead before Franciscan pushed its lead to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Effertz led off the inning with a double to left and Carrazco walked to put two runners on. Kathleen Thompson reached on a fielder's choice to keep two runners on before Fluharty walked to load the bases. With two outs, Kayla Anderson singled to center to drive home Thompson and Carrazco but Fluharty was thrown out at home trying to score. The Lady Barons led 3-2 going in to the sixth.

Penn State Altoona scored one more in the top of the sixth to set up the bottom of the seventh for Franciscan.

Effertz tossed a solid complete game, allowing just three runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out six.

The Lions and Lady Barons battled in a pitchers duel in the first game before PSA posted a pair of runs with a double to left in the top of the fifth. Franciscan had a chance to put some runs on the board as the Lady Barons walked the bases loaded but senior Jordan Cunningham struck out and the score remained 2-0 in favor of Penn State Altoona.

PSA and Franciscan each went 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh innings to give PSA the 2-0 win.

Cunningham threw 7.0 innings, allowing just two runs on eight hits while she did not give up a walk and struck out one.

Franciscan heads to Penn State Behrend on Saturday to wrap up its AMCC regular season with a 1:00 pm doubleheader in Erie, Pa.