Down 7-4 going into the bottom of the eighth inning Thursday, it looked as if the Lyle/Pacelli softball team might be headed for its second extra-innings loss of the young season. Instead, Rebecca Mino hit a bases-loaded triple to cap a thrilling 8-7 win at Todd Park.

"I never doubted it for a second," said L/P head coach Missy Blaser of her team's comeback chances.

The play was back-and-forth all day long. Four consecutive two-out singles put L/P on the board in the first, but Houston countered with a two-out RBI hit of its own in the third. A leadoff hit in the fourth came back to haunt L/P starter Louise Mudra as Stacy Steinfeldt's RBI single put Houston up 2-1.

Lyle/Pacelli regained the lead with two fifth-inning runs. After Mudra bunted her way on and Mino reached on an error, Kelsey Sampson smacked a triple to make it a 3-2 game.

Houston answered right back in the sixth with two of their own thanks to a double by Steinfeldt and two consecutive L/P errors.

The deficit was still 4-3 when Mudra stepped to the plate to lead off the seventh. Her third infield hit of the day and a stolen base put her on third base with no one out.

"Louise's on-base percentage is just unbelievable," Blaser said, "and with her speed and quickness, she can usually get into scoring position to give the other girls a chance to bring her in."

Houston starter Melanie Cox responded by getting two straight strikeouts. When Sampson hit a ground ball to short, it looked as if the game would be over. The Hurricane first baseman couldn't handle the throw however, scoring Mudra and sending the game into extra innings.

Like they had done all game, the top of Houston order came up big again in the eighth. With two outs, Steinfeldt and Laurie Kappauf both singled. Jessica Boldt then hammered a triple to deep center field to clear the bases. A blooper by Shannon Frickson over the head of the first baseman brought Boldt around to score, putting Lyle/Pacelli in a 7-4 hole going into the bottom of the eighth.

Brandi Meyer got things started with a base hit. An error by the Houston third baseman put runners on the corners with no one out. Lindsay Halbach followed with a base hit to cut the lead to 7-5.

Mudra then had her fourth hit of the day to load the bases. After a strikeout, Mino laced a triple over the center fielder's head to bring home all three runners and give Lyle/Pacelli the 8-7 win.

"I told her (Mino), 'Don't try and hit a grand slam, just connect with the ball,'" Blaser said.

"I knew we needed a big hit," Mino said. "I don't know what the pitch was, but that was definitely the biggest hit I've had."

L/P is now 2-2 overall and a perfect 2-0 in conference play. Their next game will be Tuesday against Glenville Emmons in Lyle.

Houston drops to 3-3 and 1-2 with the loss.

Box Score:

HoustonLyle/Pacelli

abrhbiabrhbi

Steinfeldt cf5231Mudra p5340

Kappauf 3b5321Boisjolie 2b4000

J.Boldt c5132Mino c5223

Frickson 1b5011Sampson 3b4021

M.Cox p3020Smith rf4020

H.Boldt 2b5011Svoboda cf4021

Beckman rf4000Meyer 2b4110

J.Cox lf4110Korfhage lf4100

Mensink ss4000Halbach 1b4111

Totals407136Totals388146

Houston00110203--7133

Lyle/Pacelli10002014--8144

2B--Steinfeldt, M. Cox. 3B--H. Boldt, Mino, Sampson. SB--Mudra, Mino, Steinfeldt, Kappauf, M. Cox. S--Boisjolie.

IPHRERBBSO

Houston

M. Cox, L7 1/3148604

Lyle/Pacelli

Mudra, W 2-28137529

WP--Mudra 2, M.Cox.