LOUISBURG — Northside’s bats lit up in a six-run third inning that helped power it to a 9-8 third-round victory over Louisburg. It gave the Lady Panthers an 8-2 lead and they showed impressive perseverance to stave off a comeback attempt by the home side.

The first five Lady Panthers reached base to kick off the inning. Kendall Alligood and Tiffany Oliver got things going with back-to-back base hits. Consecutive errors by Louisburg’s third baseman allowed Rebekah Evans to reach and Alligood score the go-ahead run.

The Lady Warriors threw out Oliver at home and Mariah Stanley struck out. With two outs, Mackensi Swain smacked a line drive to centerfield to score Williams and Quortasia Clark. Whitney Cromwell followed that with a three-run homer to right field that also plated Swain and Savannah Slade. It was the second home run of the game for Northside after Stanley knocked one over the left-field fence in the prior inning.

“That was a big inning for us,” said coach Riley Youmans. “Actually, I thought that was going to be the inning for us to be the inning for us to stay hot. We were hot that inning and kind of cooled off. … That’s just the way it is. I was hoping our bats would stay hot and I hope they will (in the fourth round).”

Louisburg got two back in the bottom of the third to cut its deficit to 8-4. The Lady Warriors then held Northside to seven batters between the fourth and fifth innings. The Lady Panther defense shined through, too. Their defensive effort was highlighted by a double play with a strikeout and a pickoff in the bottom of the fourth.

Three runs between the fifth and sixth innings helped Louisburg chip away at its deficit. Northside, hoping to add to its advantage, stranded a runner in scoring position in the top of the seventh.

The game was within reach for the homestanding Lady Warriors. They trailed 9-7 with a chance to tie or walk off with the win in the bottom of the seventh. Mackenzie Wood and Summer Phillips both singled to put the tying runs on with no outs. They moved into scoring position on a passed ball.

The game appeared to be slipping away from the Lady Panthers, but they didn’t waver. They threw out wood at third base and held off a sacrifice bunt attempt before Louisburg pulled within one thanks to a passed ball.

“We went out there and I asked (pitcher Rachel Lang) if she was tired and she said no,” Youmans said. “We’re just giving her the confidence — ‘you’ve got this and the team’s behind you.’ That’s what this team is about. It’s not one individual that’s great. It’s the whole team.”

Arianna Fuller-Bell knocked a grounder toward Swain at third base, who calmly fielded it and made the play to Clark at first. The final out locked up the one-run win and punched Northside’s ticket for the fourth round.

“What was going through my mind was that we’ve got to buckle down and battle hard like we have the whole season,” Youmans said. “We were up pretty big and, I’ve got to give Louisburg credit, they came back. They hit the ball well and scored some runs. But like I’ve said, this team is all about battling, not giving up and staying together. That’s what they did tonight. I’m so proud of them I don’t know what to do.”