DALLAS — As tempting as it was to recreate the first-inning blast, Dallas’ Gianna Spaciano thought better of it.

“I had to tell myself not to kill the ball,” Spaciano said. “Just make contact.”

Contact was all Spaciano needed as she grounded a one-out RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh, giving Dallas a 3-2 victory over Berwick in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 softball game.

Spaciano’s single scored Peyton Ross, who led off with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on Kendra Saba’s sacrifice bunt.

Dallas (5-6) still remained a ways out of first place in the division, but did help itself for a better seed — and a possible home game — in the District 2 Class 4A playoffs. It also hurt Berwick (5-5), which was tied for fifth in the D2-4A standings with the top four teams assured of home games.

Spaciano knocked in all three of the Mountaineers runs. In the first inning, she followed Saba’s double with a blast over the center field fence for a 2-0 lead.

“She’s been a solid hitter for us all season,” Dallas coach Joyce Tinner said. “She is one of the leading hitters on our team with doubles and I think she has two triples this year. She’s really been hitting the ball. Gi has worked hard in the offseason on her batting and you can see the results.”

Dallas missed an excellent opportunity to score in the fourth when it loaded the bases with no outs. But grounders to Berwick shortstop Sammi Starr and second basemen Sarah Dent resulted in force plays at the plate. Pitcher Kylie Levan escaped the jam with a strikeout to end the inning.

Berwick got a run back in the fifth as Starr singled, moved to second on a groundout and scored on Levan’s triple down the left-field line. Starr then tied the game with a solo homer in the top of the seventh, tucking her fly about 10 feet inside the left field foul pole.

The Dawgs, though, didn’t capitalize on a second-and-third with one out chance an inning earlier. The eventual result was a fourth one-run loss of the season.

“Defensively, we’ve been playing strong,” Berwick coach Emily Johnson said. “Last two games against Wyoming Area and today against Dallas we just couldn’t come through with a couple clutch hits there to make the difference in the game.”

Pittston Area 15, Crestwood 6

Lexi Felinski ripped three triples and rapped out five hits as the Patriots erupted with a 22-hit attack.

Alexa McHugh finished with three doubles, a triple and four RBI in the victory and Gabby Para had three hits in the win.

Bailey Loyak had a triple among her two hits for the Patriots, while Morgan Mesaris added a double.

Holy Redeemer 4, Northwest 2

Tiana Wren ripped a solo home run to break a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning and Taylor Josefowicz went back-to-back with another homer as the Royals pulled out a late victory.

Lynzie Skoronski had two hits for Redeemer and Morgan Bienkowski struck out seven in a complete-game four-hitter in the circle.

Brenna Babcock scored a run in the first inning to give Northwest a 1-0 lead that held up until the fifth and scored the other run for the Rangers in the bottom of the sixth.

Hanover Area 8, GAR 1

Sarah Tuzinski and Kasidy Slusser combined on a one-hitter with 16 strikeouts as Hanover Area defeated GAR.

Tuzinski struck out six of the nine batters she faced over three innings. Slusser came on to strike out 10 over four innings.

Emilee Bobos and Alessia Mangan each had two RBI and a double to pace the Hawkeyes’ offense. Lindsey Mendygral was 3-for-4.

Skyler Elmy had GAR’s only hit.

Hazleton Area 12, Wyo. Valley West 2 (6 inn.)

Marissa Trivelpiece was 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI as Hazleton Area ended the game an inning early.

Erika Book was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Tiana Treon was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a double.

Dallas 3, Berwick 2

Berwick`AB`R`H`BI

S.Starr ss`4`2`2`1

K.Starr rf`2`0`0`0

Levan p`4`0`1`1

Stout c`4`0`1`0

Dent 2b`4`0`1`0

Novicki 3b`2`0`0`0

Caladie dp`3`0`2`0

Pinterich 1b`3`0`0`0

Lanning lf`2`0`0`0

Hess cf`1`0`0`0

Totals`29`2`7`2

Dallas`AB`R`H`BI

Ross c`3`1`0`0

Saba ss`3`1`2`0

Spaciano 2b`4`1`2`3

Dixon rf`3`0`1`0

Kern lf`3`0`2`0

S.Hornlein dp`1`0`0`0

Schappert cf`3`0`1`0

Johnson 3b`2`0`0`0

Chamberlain ph`1`0`0`0

L.Hornlein 1b`3`0`0`0

Jayne p`0`0`0`0

Totals`25`3`8`3

Berwick`000`010`1 — 2

Dallas`200`000`1 — 3

2B — Caladie 2, Saba, Kern. 3B — Levan. HR — S.Starr, Spaciano.

Berwick`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Levan L`6.1`8`3`3`2`6

Dallas`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Jayne`5.0`4`1`1`0`0

S.Hornlein W`2.0`3`1`1`0`2

Pittston Area 15, Cretwood 6

Crestwood`111`030`0 — 6

Pittston Area`423`123`x — 15

Pitching — CRE, Katie Thomas, L, 1.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO, Abby Waite, 4.2 IP, 15 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO; PA, Mackenzie Cencetti, W, 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, Alexa McHugh, 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO.

Top hitters — CRE, Haley Naperkowski 3B, Sydney Sobolewski 2B, Sarah Macko 2B; PA, Lexi Felinski 5-for-5, 3 3B, Alexa McHugh 4-for-5, 3 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, Gabby Para 3-for-5, Mackenzie Cencetti 2 hits, Bailey Loyack 2-for-3, 3B, Mackenzie Gable 2-for-3, Morgan Mesaris 2B.

Holy Redeemer 4, Northwest 2

Holy Redeemer`000`013`0 — 4

Northwest`100`001`0 — 2

Pitching — HR, Morgan Bienkowski, W, 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO; NW, Brooke Harvey, L, 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO, Nicole Cragle 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO.

Top hitters — HR, Tiana Wren HR, Taylor Josefowicz HR, Lynzie Skoronski 2-for-2; NW, Brenna Babcock 2 runs, Nicole Cragle 2Bs.

Hanover Area 8, GAR 1

Hanover Area`330`000`2 — 8

GAR`000`010`0 — 1

Pitching — HA, Sarah Tuzinski W (3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO); Kasidy Slusser (4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 SO). GAR, Chloe Somorovski L (7 IP, 15 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 5 SO).

Top Hitters — HA, Sarah Whitesell 2-4, run; Alessia Mangan 2-4, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 runs; Emilee Bobos 3-4, 2 RBI, 2B; Lindsey Mendygral 3-4, RBI. GAR, Skylar Elmy single.

Berwick’s Sammi Starr rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the top of the seventh to tie the score 2-2 Monday with Dallas.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_dal_ber5_faa-1.jpg.optimal.jpgBerwick’s Sammi Starr rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the top of the seventh to tie the score 2-2 Monday with Dallas. Fred Adams | for Times Leader

Dallas’ Gianna Spaciano (33) is hugged by Kendra Saba before going into the dugout after her home run in the first inning Monday. Spaciano added the game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_dal_ber1_faa-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas’ Gianna Spaciano (33) is hugged by Kendra Saba before going into the dugout after her home run in the first inning Monday. Spaciano added the game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh. Fred Adams | for Times Leader

Dallas’ Gianna Spaciano hits the game-winning single in the seventh inning against Berwick on Monday.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_dal_ber2_faa-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas’ Gianna Spaciano hits the game-winning single in the seventh inning against Berwick on Monday. Fred Adams | for Times Leader

Dallas shortstop Kendra Saba bobbles a ball hit by Berwick’s Brooke Stout in the first inning Monday.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_dal_ber3_faa-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas shortstop Kendra Saba bobbles a ball hit by Berwick’s Brooke Stout in the first inning Monday. Fred Adams | for Times Leader

Gianna Spaciano rushes to celebrate Dallas’ 3-2 win over Berwick after bringing in the winning run in the seventh inning Monday.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web1_dal_ber4_faa-1.jpg.optimal.jpgGianna Spaciano rushes to celebrate Dallas’ 3-2 win over Berwick after bringing in the winning run in the seventh inning Monday. Fred Adams | for Times Leader

By John Erzar

jerzar@timesleader.com

Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar