WEXFORD — The Mars softball team didn't win its WPIAL Class AAA first-round playoff game against Moon in the seventh inning.

But the Planets didn't lose it, either.

With the game tied at 1, Moon had the bases loaded in the top of the seventh frame with no outs.

Mars assistant coach Mike DelDuca told his infield to prepare for a bunt from Tigers' center fielder Tara Walsh and it paid off.

Walsh's bunt went directly to Planets' pitcher Monica Glomb, who pounced on the ball and began a 1-2-3 double play.

"They tried to bunt a bunch of times earlier in the game," DelDuca said. "I told the defense to play in and said we were going 4-1 (home to first) for the double play and it worked."

Glomb got Melissa Morrow to ground out to end the inning and Mars received a run-scoring fielder's choice from Emma Wharrey in the bottom of the ninth for a 2-1 win Monday at North Allegheny High School.

Mars (11-8) will face Greensburg Salem (15-0-1), a 6-5 winner over Waynesburg Central on Monday, at a site and time to be determined.

The Tigers left eight runners on base in the game, but the missed opportunity in the seventh inning was the hardest to swallow.

Glomb, who struck out 12 and walked six in the win, got into trouble in the seventh inning by giving up her first hit of the game, a single to leftfield by Amanda Ardinger.

Brenna Longo was then hit by a pitch before Mikaela Longo reached on a bunt.

Walsh then attempted a bunt of her own and the Planets' defense gobbled it up.

"I really can't say that we did anything wrong," said Moon coach Amy Aloi of her team's strategy. "It was just one of those things where the worst possible thing that could've happened did happen, the double play."

After Glomb got out of another jam in the eighth frame — two on with two out — the Planets kept their hopes alive for a second straight WPIAL title in their half of the ninth inning.

Kelsey Ferguson led off and reached base when Morrow misplayed a groundball.

Kaitlyn Cubarney laid down a sacrifice bunt, but instead of stopping at second base, Ferguson didn't stop until she had reached third base with one out.

Wharrey's game-winning swing sent the ball past the pitching circle, where Morrow fielded it in front of second base and threw home in a desperate attempt to get Ferguson, who crossed the plate long before the ball arrived.

"With one out, I was just trying to put the ball in play and advance the runner," Wharrey said. "I don't even know what the pitch was. It was there and I hit it."

"Emma's a senior and a team captain," said Mars coach Michele Goodworth. "She was in the same situation last year in the playoffs against Pine-Richland and she came through for us."

Moon's Caitlyn Kamalich took the loss despite a superb effort, striking out nine and not walking a batter. Both runs she surrendered were unearned.

The Tigers (13-7) broke the ice with a run in the third inning.

Mikaela Longo walked and stole second base before a sacrifice bunt moved her to third.

She scored when Glomb fielded a bunt off the bat of Morrow and threw too high to catcher Brittany Berkopec in an attempt to get Longo, who made it 1-0.

The Planets (11-8) tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when courtesy runner Savannah Collier came home on a throwing error by first baseman Brenna Longo.

Berkopec, who tallied two singles, was the only player with multi-hits.

Moon 001 000 000—1 2 2Mars 000 010 001—2 4 1Caitlyn Kamalich and Becky Bitsko; Monica Glomb and Brittany Berkopec.

W: Glomb (12 K, 6 BB).

L: Kamalich (9 K, 0 BB).

Moon (13-7): Amanda Ardinger 1B, Mikaela Longo 1B R SB

Mars (11-8): Monica Glomb 1B, Brittany Berkopec 2-1B SB, Kelsey Ferguson R, Emma Wharrey RBI, Jamie Fiorina 1B, Savannah Collier R

Next: Mars vs. Greensburg Salem, WPIAL Class AAA Quarterfinal, TBA