For No. 4 Panama?

Well, it couldn’t have gone much worse.

The Bears scored three runs in each of the first and second frames, and then rode the fine pitching of MaKena Adams to a 7-2 victory over the Lady Panthers.

The win advances Frewsburg (7-9) into the semifinals on Thursday against No. 1 Franklinville, a 9-0 winner over No. 8 Pine Valley yesterday. Panama ends its season 7-6.

Panama’s Abi Lisciandro fields a ball during the Panthers’ Section VI Class D quarterfinal game against Frewsburg on Monday in Panama. P-J photo by Scott Reagle

“From the beginning (I told them) we had to put the pressure on by being loud, by being emotional, by taking bases and taking chances,” Bears coach Jon Blanchard said. “We’re young, but, man, do they have a lot of enthusiasm.”

The Bears, who don’t have a senior on the roster, put pressure on Panama from the start. In fact, in racing to a six-run lead after an inning and a half, they strung together five hits, and took advantage of Panama’s early miscues, including three errors, two wild pitches, two walks and one hit batter. Offensive highlights for the visitors during the early innings were run-scoring singles by Ashley Carlson and Adams.

After that, the game belonged to Adams, who scattered five hits, struck out 12 and walked one.

“She threw really well,” Blanchard said. “I was really happy with her. If you can keep your walks down, make them swing the bat, put the ball in play, you’re going to do well.

“She’s only in 10th grade, but she’s stepping up and being the leader of this team. … She’s really taking that leadership role. I’m really proud of what she’s doing in addition to her pitching.”

The Lady Panthers scored single runs in the second and seventh innings, courtesy of RBI singles by Emily Lyon and Natalie Angeletti, respectively, but that was all they could manage. It appeared as if the hosts would score more in their last at-bat, but with runners at second and third and no outs, Natalie Angeletti’s liner hit Lyon for the first out. Although Marra Hovey scored from third on the play, it was the only run Panama could muster in that inning.

Fittingly, Adams ended the game when she made a nice play on a pop-up between home plate and the circle.

Now the Bears will face top-seeded Franklinville on Thursday.

“Who is going to tell us we can’t believe we can win,” Blanchard said.

Said Panama coach Tammy Hosier: “All year we’ve had our moments where the error machine came out. I said that we can’t have that here or it’s going to come back and haunt us. … We just have to remember how this feels. We have to come back hungry.”

The Lady Panthers lose only one player, Elle Angeletti, to graduation.

NOTES: Adams and Reagan Chitester had two hits apiece for the winners off losing pitcher Ashlyn Harvey. Madalyn Bowen had two hits for Panama.