Division VI

Linfield 4, Faith Baptist 2--The Contenders were two outs from victory but Linfield scored three runs to reach its seventh final in nine years at Grace Brethren High.

Valerie Alston hit a two-run single off reliever Devina Quintero for a 3-2 lead. The Lions (21-4-1) scored again on a fielder’s choice by Stacey McCaslin.

Faith Baptist (19-11-1) took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. After Ivette Hernandez was hit by a pitch with two out, Quintero fouled off seven pitches before stroking a run-scoring double. Rose Sierra then delivered a two-strike, run-scoring single to right field.

Linfield, which has won three Division VI titles, scored in the second on a walk, a sacrifice and a two-out throwing error.

“That’s a quality, quality softball team,” Linfield Coach Scott Raftery said of Faith Baptist. “There’s not an easy out on that team. They deserve to be in [the final] as much as we do.”