SALEM, Va. – Down to their final out in the seventh inning, West Liberty (31-23) staged a thrilling comeback to defeat top-seeded Fairmont State, 4-3, in extra innings during Friday's Mountain East Conference Softball Championship semifinal at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.

Trailing 3-2 with two outs in the top of the seventh, Sydney Johnson delivered in the clutch with an infield single that scored Paytyn Tucker from third to tie the game. The Hilltoppers then completed the comeback in the eighth when Jaden Conrad ripped an RBI triple to right center, plating Kadence Pettit for the go-ahead run.

Pettit wasn't just key at the plate—she earned the win in the circle with 7.2 scoreless innings of relief, scattering five hits and striking out three after taking over in the first inning.

Fairmont State jumped on top early with a three-run first inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Elizabeth Waszkiewicz and an RBI single from Alexa Foresha. But West Liberty slowly chipped away, starting with Johnson's two-run double in the third that brought the Hilltoppers within one.

Johnson was the star offensively for West Liberty, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Conrad's game-winning triple capped a resilient effort by a team that refused to go down quietly.

The win sends West Liberty into the MEC Championship game Saturday at 11 a.m. they will face the winner of the Fairmont State - Charleston elimination game.