It took 12 innings of play, and Salisbury could all but taste a trip back to the District 11 Class AA championship game.

But while the Falcons were just an out away from advancing, Schuylkill Haven had other plans.

After Salisbury broke a scoreless game in the 12th inning on a Michael Palmer RBI-single to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead, Schuylkill Haven (19-3) was down to its final out with the bases empty. But a walk and three singles gave the top-seeded Hurricanes a 2-1 walk-off victory over No. 5 Salisbury (13-10) in Saturday's District 11 Class AA semifinals at Pottsville High School.

"We had two outs and nobody on base, and it looked like we had it in the bag," head coach Mike Pochron said. "It ended up not working out that way.

"After games like that everybody says neither team deserves to lose, but you still want to be on the winning end. It's still tough to take. It looked like we had it, but it just slipped away."

It was a pitcher's duel through nine innings, as both starters went their allowed nine innings of action. Chad Cooperman started on the mound for the Falcons, allowing just four hits in nine innings. Schuylkill Haven's Nick Behm recorded eight strikeouts in his nine scoreless innings.

Salisbury's Charley Rogers closed out the game, pitching the final three innings. And it wasn't until the last out that the Hurricanes were able to put together a steady offensive performance.

"Their best chance to score came in the first inning," Pochron said. "They singled and Michael Palmer threw a guy out at the plate. Then it was a battle for nine innings."

The loss ends Salisbury's season a game short of both a district and league championship game appearances. Both losses came in extra innings.

"We're a little disappointed because we didn't win any championships," Pochron said. "But I'm happy that we got there and got to play there. A lot of teams don't even get that shot."

The Falcons blanked No. 5 seed Pine Grove, 5-0, to open district play last Wednesday at Salisbury High School behind a complete game from pitcher Evan Kulig.

"It feels good after a tough loss against Northwestern [in Colonial League semifinals] in extra innings," Kulig said. "It was a good battle the whole time. To come out with confidence and throw a zero was great."

The host team scored runs in the first four innings against Pine Grove and rode Kulig's four-hit, six-strikeout performance to an opening round victory.

After Copperman's RBI-single in the first, Rogers walked in the second inning to score Nick Sikora. Joey Galantini was hit by a pitch in the next plate appearance to bring home another Falcon run that made it 3-0.

In the third frame, CJ Tocci's RBI-double scored Sikora, and Palmer scored in the fourth on an infield error from Pine Grove.

The offense did its part, and the defense was just as solid.

"The defense was great because I knew I didn't have to try and strike everyone out," Kulig said. "I was able to pitch to contact. That's so much better because I can fill up the zone more and not hitcorners."

Schuylkill Haven faced No. 2 seed North Schuylkill in the championship game on Tuesday, April 26, at Coca-Cola Park. Results were not available at time of press.