HAMILTON – In a game that would assure Hamilton of a Class 2A playoff spot or keep Hatley in the race, Hannah Howell made sure the latter didn’t happen.

On senior night, the senior belted two home runs to right field, the second a line drive two-run walk-off shot that ended a 20-10 six-inning win over the Lady Tigers.

If Baldwyn wins either of its final two games, Hamilton will finish as the second seed in Division 1-2A and travel to Eupora for the opening round of the MHSAA slow-pitch playoffs on Tuesday.

“We didn’t want to be sitting at home for the first time in a long time,” Hamilton coach Lewis Earnest said. “Hannah just crushed a couple.”

With the game tied at 10 in the bottom of the sixth, Lyndsey Williams drove in the go-ahead run for an 11-10 lead and Katie Beth Dahlem and Emily Earnest added RBI singles. Caitlyn Atkins then drove in Earnest and Anna Imel on a double before coming all the way home to score on an ensuing error.

Chauncia Willis singled and Howell provided the game-stopper.

Hamilton (10-9, 5-2 Division 1-2A) lost six straight games earlier this season and averaged only two runs a game in the losses. Howell said this team is the one she’s familiar with.

“I have to be honest. I didn’t know if we were going to make it or not,” said Howell, who also singled, “but we pulled through in the end. This is the team I know.”

Hatley (11-6, 2-4) had taken an early lead with a five-run second inning only to watch Howell’s solo shot in the bottom of the second inning spark a nine-run inning.

“We could have rolled over early and they didn’t,” Earnest said. “When they came back and tied it, we could have quit, but we didn’t.”

Hatley pulled within 10-9 in the fourth inning. Jamelle Vance provided an RBI single, Hamilton had a 2 run throwing error and Lauren Sloan’s two-out RBI single brought the Lady Tigers within one. Lone senior Courtney Fretwell tied it in the sixth on a two-out double.

“That’s a tough game to lose,” said Hatley coach Mark Guntharp. “I hate it for our senior because she came to play tonight. Some of them did. We didn’t come as a group. We made way too many errors and they hit the ball. They’re a good team.”

Fretwell singled, doubled and tripled for Hatley, which committed four errors. Mallory Ashcraft had two of Hatley’s 10 hits.