KENNEDY TWP - One swing of the bat by Brie Berkopec was all the Mars softball team needed to get started.

A bevy of errors from Keystone Oaks kept it going.

Berkopec's solo home run to lead off the sixth inning knotted the game at 1, then the Planets used two delayed steals, five hits and four Eagles' miscues over the final two innings for a 7-1 victory in first-round WPIAL Class AAA playoff action at Fairhaven Park's Lind Field.

"That (home run) was huge," said Mars coach Michele Goodworth. "It was her fourth home run of the season. She's the one most capable of getting something started like that.

"We all built on that," Goodworth added.

Following the home run, Monica Glomb and Zara Zollner followed with line-drive singles.

Following a 1-2 pitch, Eagles catcher Brittany Leslie tossed the ball back to pitcher Maria Walker. On the toss, Glomb broke for third. Walker's toss was high and rolled down the left field line.

Glomb beat the throw to home, but Leslie's throw back to third to get Zollner also went down the line, allowing Zollner to score.

"It's just inexperience," said Keystone Oaks assistant coach Dave Hoffman. "This was the first time in 13 years we've been in the playoffs.

"We had a tough game, but this was just one of those things. I think it was more nerves of being in the playoffs," Hoffman added.

Mars (13-6) added four runs in the seventh inning, much the same way it did in the sixth.

After Kyla Ferguson reached on an error, Keystone Oaks turned a pair of fielder's choices at second base.

After a Berkopec single put runners at first and second, a delayed steal advanced both runners.

Consecutive RBI singles by Glomb and Zollner made it 5-1, but two more throwing errors on the latter play allowed both Glomb and Zollner to score for the six-run cushion.

"We had a couple of great steals," said Goodworth. "The girls were really aggressive on the bases.

"I've said all season that anyone in this lineup is able to make things happen," she added.

The scoring came better late than never for Mars, which stranded four runners in the first four innings, three of which were in scoring position.

In the top of the first Amanda Charles and Hannah Taggart led off with singles, but were left stranded at second and third.

In the fourth inning, Keystone Oaks (12-6) used an error by Kristin Scheller and an RBI double by Steph Roth to take a 1-0 lead.

Roth advanced to third on the throw to home, but Mars pitcher Glomb got Ashley Smith and Lindsay McKibben to fly out and end the threat.

Mars found itself two innings away from elimination in the post-season.

"We talked before the game started that (we) needed to score in the first two innings," said Goodworth. "When it got that late, I said we have two chances left for the season to end or for your season to continue.

"I guess they decided they didn't want it to end."

Notes:

Glomb struck out six batters in the first three innings, but didn't record another the rest of the game. She allowed just three hits and one walk … Walker struck out seven and didn't walk a batter in 6

innings … The game was the second of a quadruple-header at Lind Field.

Mars 000 003 4 - 7 10 2

Key. Oaks 000 100 0 - 1 3 6

WP:

Monica Glomb (7 IP) 6 strikeouts, 1 walk.

LP:

Maria Walker (6

IP) 7 strikeouts, 0 walks

Mars:

Amanda Charles 1B; Hannah Taggart 1B; Brie Berkopec HR, 1B; Monica Glomb 3-1B, RBI; Zara Zollner 2-1B, RBI; Ashley Phelps 1B

Keystone Oaks:

Emily Dempsey 2-1B; Steph Roth 2B, RBI

Tuesday:

Mars vs. Ambridge at site and time to be determined