STEUBENVILLE — Appearances can be deceiving as routine-looking plays aren’t always so routine.

The Big Red and University softball teams proved that to be the case as one such play kept the Hawks alive, while another dropped them from the ranks of the unbeaten against OVAC opponents.

Big Red led 4-1 with one out in the top of the seventh inning when a dropped flyball in center gave the Hawks life, and University took full advantage as it scored three runs in the inning to knot the score at 4 with the game ultimately going into extra innings.

The tables turned in the bottom of the eighth.

Big Red had a runner on second with two outs in the inning, when Gena Smith’s flyball to right was bobbled and ultimately dropped allowing Sophia Zorne to race home with the game-winning run allowing Big Red to escape with a 5-4 victory Monday evening up at the Crimson Complex.

“We’ll take it,” first-year (5-2) Big Red head coach April Minniefield said. “We should have won. We had a good lead. We should have won. I don’t know what happened in that one inning, but we kept fighting. We keep fighting. That’s all we do.”

Overall, the loss dropped the Hawks to 8-2 on the season.

Big Red led 4-0 going into the fifth, however, the visitors refused to go away quietly as they stormed their way back into the ballgame.

After being held hitless through the first four innings, Maddie Shaver led off the fifth with a single to right before moving up to second on a sacrifice bunt before advancing to third on a groundout. With two outs, Taylor Casino brought Shaver home on an infield single to second pulling the girls from Monongalia County to within 4-1, however, a pop-up ended the inning.

The hosts got two runners on base in the home half of the inning as Riley Zorne reached on an error and Sagan Smarrella was hit by a pitch, but a flyout and a fielder’s choice end the threat and the inning.

University had an opportunity to cut even more into its deficit in the sixth as Maddie Walls led off the inning by drawing a 10-pitch walk before Maddie Campbell reached on an error to put two runners on base, however, a double play eliminated Campbell at first before Olivia Masoner walked to give University two runners on base. The opportunity was there, however, a flyout brought the inning to a close with the home team still leading by three runs.

Down to their last chance, the Hawks staged a game-tying rally in the seventh thanks to a costly miscue by the girls from Jefferson County. Lexi Elza singled to center to get the ball rolling before moving up to second on a groundout. The with one out, Casino reached when her fly ball was dropped in the outfield allowing Elza to score to make the score, 4-2, and Casino ended up at third on the play.

The next batter popped up to second for what should have been the third and final out of the game, however, University still had hope, and the Hawks made the most of it. With two outs, Walls doubled down the line in left scoring Casino to make it a 4-3 ballgame. Then, Campbell singled to center scoring Walls, who beat the throw home, knotting the score at 4-all. Campbell moved up to second on throw giving her team a runner in scoring position, however, a groundout to third ended the threat keeping the score deadlocked.

Big Red got a runner on base in the bottom half of the inning as Riley Zorne singled to center with two outs, however, a flyout end the inning sending the game into extra innings.

University had the first opportunity to score a run in the extra inning, and the Hawks came close. Shaver singled to left with one out, and she advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. The girls in the black jerseys and red pants had a runner in scoring position with two outs, however, a flyball to right was snagged by Briella Guntrum to end the inning.

The Red-and-Black had a chance to end it in the eighth, and they found an unlikely way to get the job done.

After a strikeout, Sophia Zorne ended up on a second base following an error in center before a flyout accounted for the second out of the inning. The Hawks were on the verge of escaping the inning unscathed when disaster struck when Smith’s flyball to right was dropped allowing Zorne to score the game-ending run sending the Steubenville girls into celebration mode.

“We have the ability to score,” Minniefield said. “We have the girls back-to-back, but they just aren’t comfortable yet. I am not really sure why, but we will figure it out. We’re happy with the win.”

The dropped resulted in Campbell, who came on to pitch in the fifth, being saddle with the loss for the Hawks. She struck out three while not walking a batter in her 3 2/3 innings of relief work.

Sophia Lehosit started inside the circle for the Hawks, and she ended up with a no decision. She struck out six without issuing a walk.

Isabella Cadille went the distance to earn the win for the locals. She struck out one while walking two.

The four runs allowed by Cadille are the fewest University has scored in a game so far this season. Their previous low was five runs.

“University can score,” Minniefield said. “They have got great fielders, they run the bases well and they have a really-good pitcher. I was surprised she didn’t start when I saw her pitch.

“We were able to take advantage of an opportunity. We were able to capitalize against them.”

Sadie Edwards carried the big stick for Big Red as the Akron commit belted a double and a home run to power her team’s offense. Edwards led off the second inning by blasting the first offering from Lehoist over the fence in center to give the victors a 1-0 advantage.

Edwards did even more damage in the fourth.

Smarrella singled to left to start the inning, and the catcher raced around and scored on a double to center by Edwards to give Big Red a 2-0 advantage. Edwards ended up scoring when Sophia Zorne reached on an error in center to extend Big Red’s advantage out to 3-0. Emily Tuttle then collected a base hit advancing Zorne to third. A sacrifice bunt by Smith allowed Tuttle to move up to second before a groundout by Cadille plated Zorne to increase Big Red’s advantage to 4-0.

Big Red appeared to be in control, however, the game nearly got away from them.

“It was a crazy win, but a win is a win,” Minniefield said. “We’ll take it.”

Addison Meyer delivered a single in the win for Big Red.

Big Red is scheduled to play Beaver Local at 5 p.m. today at home before taking on Jefferson County rival Edison at 5 p.m. Wednesday out at the Edison Unified Sports Complex. Minniefield is a 1995 graduate of Edison.

“It is always nice going back out to Edison,” Minniefield said.

University is slated to play Spring Mills at 5 p.m. today at home.

Big Red 5, University 4 (8 innings)

University 000 010 30 – 4 6 4

Big Red 010 300 01 – 5 6 2

UNIVERSITY (6-1): Lehoist ND (4IP, 6K, 0BB), Campbell LP (3 2/3IP, 3K, 0BB) and Masoner. Walls D, RBI; Campbell S, RBI; Shaver 2S; Elza S; Casino S, RBI.

BIG RED (5-2): Cadille WP (1K, 2BB) and Smarrella. Meyer S; R. Zorne S; Smarrella S; Edwards D, HR, 2RBI; Tuttle S; Cadille RBI.