BUTLER TWP — Butler had visions of a walk-off victory.

North Allegheny’s bats had other ideas.

Golden Tornado pitcher Emily McDonald had blanked the Tigers’ potent lineup over the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and her team entered the seventh frame trailing just 4-2, but NA’s offense exploded in its last at bat.

Five hits and six runs later, the Tigers’ lead had ballooned to eight runs and they went on to post a 10-2 Section 3-AAAA road win Wednesday afternoon.

“We had left 18 runners on base in our first two games,” said NA coach Rick Meister. “We still stranded too many today (10), but it was gratifying to see us not rest on an early lead. It shows you still have to have that late push.”

Madi Beining led off the top of the seventh with a single before Lacey Hilderbrand and Maddy DeRubbo both reached base on an error to load the bases with one out. Though they were Butler’s only two errors of the game, they proved to be very costly.

With two outs, Laura Cotter singled home courtesy runner Shannon Hamm. Mackenzie Gostomski then drilled a 3-run double to left for an 8-2 lead. The Tigers would go on to add two more runs before McDonald got out of the inning.

“We have to play seven innings,” said Butler coach Shauna Troup. “We can’t play just four innings and still win in this section. The same thing happened to us Monday against North Hills (a 12-5 loss).”

Butler, which had threatened to score in the two previous innings, was retired in order by Beining in the bottom of the seventh.

“Scoring all of those runs in the seventh had to affect Butler’s whole mindset,” Meister said. “That’s no knock on them, it’s just natural. You have a different mentality when you get down by a lot.”

The Tigers (3-0, 3-0) also started the game in style, plating three runs on three hits in the top of the first.

“After that inning, I just told Emily to stay confident, stay calm,” said Troup. “She started to work the corners more and succeeded for a few innings, but they got back on us late in the game.”

Trailing 4-0, Butler broke through against Beining in the third frame.

With two outs, Hannah Hays and McDonald reached on back-to-back singles. Hays stole third base and scored on a successful double-steal maneuver.

Noel Pfabe’s single scored McDonald to cut NA’s edge to 4-2. That’s where the score remained until the Tigers’ outburst in the seventh.

McDonald suffered the loss, striking out five and walking two.

Beining, a junior, earned the win with seven strikeouts and no walks in a complete game.

“This is her first season as a full-time starter,” said Meister. “But I know from watching her the last couple of years, she’s going to give the maximum effort and she’s going to be in the game mentally and physically. She doesn’t have her head in the clouds.”

Pfabe tallied three hits, including a double, for the Tornado (1-2, 1-2).

North Allegheny 301 000 6 — 10 17 1

Butler 002 000 0 — 2 7 2

W: Madi Beining 7 IP (7K, 0BB). L: Emily McDonald 7 IP (5K, 2BB).

North Allegheny (3-0, 3-0): Laura Cotter 3-1B R RBI, Mackenzie Gostomski 2B 2R 3RBI, Emily Hogan 1B 2B 2R RBI, Liz Scherer 2-1B 2B 3RBI, Madi Beining 3-1B, Erica Jelinek 3-1B RBI, Lacey Hilderbrand 1B R, Maddy DeRubbo R, Olivia Schweiger 1B, Shannon Hamm R, Allie Green 2R, Logann Woodley RBI

Butler (1-2, 1-2): Hannah Hays 1B R, Emily McDonald 1B R, Noel Pfabe 2-1B 2B RBI, Ali Graham 1B, Amanda Webb 1B

Today: Moon at Butler